Peer Relationships and Male Academic Achievement: A Review and Suggested Clarification

Abstract

Earlier reviews of the research have reached conflicting conclusions about the relationship between social behavior and academic achievement. A brief but comprehensive review is presented. It is suggested that there is greater consistency in this research area than has previously been noted. When the research is categorized according to sample age level, it is found among younger subjects that high achievers tend to be more socially active than low achievers, while among college‐age students, low achievers tend to be the more socially active. Questions are raised which future research might investigate.

College Student Performance, Satisfaction and Retention: Specification and Estimation of a Structural Model

“…In the latter case, students with high academic motivation may tend to rate study facilities lower than those with less academic motivation, and hence the variable appears to be, in part, a measure of motivation. The fact that the strength of peer relationships within the dorm is negatively related to academic performance is consistent with the O'Shea [18] argument that there is essentially a time allocation relationship between social relations and academic performance. Peer relationships, therefore, play a dual and conflicting role in the retention process.…”