THE PERCEIVED IMPORTANCE OF GROUP FUNCTIONS IN ADOLESCENT PEER GROUPS

In the last decades, scholars’ attention has been increasingly focused on the motivational factors at the basis of social identification. The reason for this interest is twofold: first of all they play a fundamental role in the construction and maintenance of social identity, secondly they are related to the behavioural consequences of group belongingness (Vignoles & Moncaster, 2007). In particular, as several authors pointed out (Capozza, Brown, Aharpour & Falvo, 2006), they represent powerful predictors of intergroup discrimination. However, in considering the possible outcomes of group identification, other types of behaviours have been neglected, specifically the intragroup behaviours that facilitate the ingroup life and the achievement of the members’ common goals. The present study examined the role eight group membership functions (i.e., self esteem, self insight and social understanding, ingroup cooperation, intergroup competition, intragroup social comparison, romantic involvement, amusement and leadership) in explaining group-specific commitment behaviours in different types of peer groups (sports, religious, political and informal).