Researchers from the University of Amsterdam have discovered that your friends from age 10 - 18 are the ones to blame (or praise!) for your behaviour today.
Before age 10, it’s mostly your family that influences who you are and the decisions you make.
Friends made in intermediate and high school years sway your inclination towards making riskier decisions like partying, breaking the law, smoking, and other 'adult' things - as well as impacting your beliefs and morals.
The more popular friends tend to be more influential, but there are a range of factors that dictate how much ‘power’ one friend has over their buddies.
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, researchers found that bad influences are more powerful in changing behaviour than positive examples are.
The research also found that teenagers tend to come up with new cultural values because they often reject the accepted societal norms because they’re, well, teenagers.
Hopefully, your children’s friends are positive influences on your little angels - who would never be a bad influence… right?
