Peer Impact: A Cross-state Study on Career Choices of Senior Secondary Students

Description

Page: 705-708

Nishita Singh, Deepika Vig, and Asha Chawla Thakral (Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab)

The research paper aimed to examine the relationship between career decision making and peer group influence among 900 senior secondary students across socio-cultural zones of three states viz. Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand. A self-structured peer group influence questionnaire was used to assess career decision making levels of peer group influence. The findings indicated that Doaba had the most moderate peer impact in Punjab, while Majha had the strongest. Mewat had the most students under moderate influence, whereas Ahirwal exhibited the strongest peer impact in Haryana. Peer influence was strong in Uttarakhand for Kumaon and Garhwal, but moderate influence was also noteworthy in both areas. The majority of Haryana and Punjab showed no apparent gender variations in peer influence, except Ahirwal, where girls were more influenced by their peers than boys. In Uttarakhand, Kumaon experienced more girls with strong peer influence than Garhwal, which showed boys with higher peer influence and girls with moderate peer influence.