An Analytical Study of Peer Influence on Behavioral Modification and Academic Performance of Students in Higher Education of Pakistan

Socialization is a life-long process and all individuals are exposed to multitude of factors, situations and events during this process. Majority of socializing agents and agencies have been discussed and scrutinized in the recent past. The existence of peer group, its influence and pressure has also received wide acknowledgement in shaping and molding the course of an individual life. This paper explores the nature and level of peer group influence on students at post-compulsory level regarding their choice of profession, lifestyle and response to overall 'social reality'. The data has been colleted from 120 students of four departments on the basis of stratification and randomization. Besides, questionnaire was adopted as tool of data collection and the data has been analyzed in the form frequency distribution tables showing percentage along with discussion. The study concludes that these choices, although primarily geared by parents and other family members, are transformed and reshaped by peer influence. It further argues that family influence proves momentary and subsides as soon as students enter into higher education institutions. In the context of behavioral modification, peer influence is an asset in healthy societies but it turns into a liability in under developed communities.