76.8 pct of Chinese greatly influenced by peers: survey

BEIJING -- A total of 76.8 percent of Chinese say they are greatly influenced by peers, according to a survey.

The survey,reported by Tuesday's China Youth Daily, polled 2,015 people born between the 1960s and the 2000s. The respondents said peers exert influence on their personal interactions (56.6 percent), their outlook on the world, life and values (47.3 percent) and social cognition (42.8 percent).

Zhang Peng, born in the 1990s, said he chose engineering as his major at university because many senior schoolmates had also chosen the major.

Cai Bin said he used to be introverted until he joined a dance club at his university upon the recommendation of one of his schoolmates, and later made friends in the club.

"I was greatly influenced by my peers at university and became more outgoing," Cai said.

According to Wei Qingwang, associate professor of the psychology department of Renmin University, it is inevitable for children to go through a period when they feel greater influence from peers and teachers than from parents.

"It is not necessarily a good thing if a young person is always mainly influenced by parents and teachers. It is harmful to a person's self-esteem and confidence if the person receives no recognition or has nothing in common with peers," Wei said.

A total of 54.6 percent of interviewees said peers can better motivate each other, while 57.8 percent pointed out potentially vicious competition among peers.