Adolescent social development The social development of adolescents is strongly influenced by the social world. Peer relationships, family relationships, school, work and community play a fundamental role in the social and cultural development of an adolescent. Adolescence begins around the age of eleven and lasts until the early twenties. As a child enters adolescence, many changes occur, including physical changes in appearance, sexual maturity, hormonal changes, and the ability to reflect on one's self-identity (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). When adolescents begin to experience these changes; they also experiment with new behaviors to help them transition from childhood to adulthood. Risk taking is a normal way that adolescents shape their identities, try new decision-making techniques, and evaluate themselves, others, and the world (APA, 2000). Peer Relationships During this time period, parental influences often decrease while peer influences increase. This change helps establish independence from parents. Teens begin to assert more control over their decisions, emotions, and actions. These peer groups often provide adolescents with information about how the world works outside of their family. Popularity, status, prestige, and acceptance are often reinforced by peer groups (APA, 2002). The nature of friendship changes over the course of adolescence. Younger adolescents may have a primary peer group with which they identify. This group will usually be composed of peers with similar interests, attitudes, and values ​​(Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). There is a strong desire to conform and be accepted by peers. In middle adolescence, peer groups change and become more mixed in terms of gender. There is greater tolerance towards... half of paper ......living in: The effects of neighborhood residence on child and adolescent outcomes. Psychological Bulletin,126, 309-337.Markus, H., & Nurius, P. (1986). Possible selves. American psychologist. 41, 954-969Miller J.W., Naimi, T.S., Brewer, R.D., & Jones, S.E. (2007). Binge drinking and behaviors associated with health risks among high school students. Pediatrics, 119:76–85.Resnick, M.D., Bearman, P.S., Blum, R.W., Bauman, K.E., Harris, K.M., Jones, J., Tabor, J.,Beuhring, T., Sieving, R.E., Shew, M ., Ireland, M., Bearinger, L. H., & Udry, J. R. (1997). Protecting adolescents from harm: Results from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Journal of the American Medical Association, 278, 823-832. Steinberg, L. (2001). We know a few things: parent-adolescent relationships in retrospect and in perspective. Journal of Adolescent Research, 11, 1-19