I'm not sure if it's uniquely American. I think the secondary school social system is based in the individualistic culture of American society at large, and may

I'm not sure if it's uniquely American. I think the secondary school social system is based in the individualistic culture of American society at large, and may appear in other countries with a similar individual emphasis. In many cases, American children (at least in my region of the country, growing up in the late 1990's & 2000's) are told that they are exceptional at a young age by their parents/mentor figures. This article sums up the environment nicely. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wait-but-why/generation-y-unhappy_b_3930620.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wait-but-why/generation-y-unha... I think a desire to fulfill this expectation of individualized achievement can lead adolescents to pursue peer approval as an activity unto itself, the so called "trying to be cool," you may have observed.