The Power of Peer Pressure

· To be a member of a peer group is the primary goal of most

teenagers during adolescence. The feeling of belonging and

social acceptance is very strong at this stage of development.

This is why peer influence plays a huge part in steering the

experiences and interest of teenagers. When teens are

searching for their identity and the concepts that they want to

define themselves by, social influences and peer interaction

play a huge part in this process. These two factors can help

form the teen into what he/she wants to be, or whom he/she

fears of being.

· Social influence and pressure can lead to behaviors like

substance abuse, risk taking, and promiscuous sexual

activity. Behaviors such as these can prove to be detrimental

to the health of the teenager. On the contrary, there is positive

peer pressure also, that is conducive to the development of

the teen. For example, teen can influence other teens to get

involved in community service activities, helping others, or

joining a school sports or academic team.

· It is interesting to find that several factors contribute to this phenomenon:

o Fear of isolation

o Inadequacy

o Shame and ridicule

o Instinctual need to bond

· When fitting in and being popular is looked at on a universal

scale, taking in account multiple ethnicities and male and

female gender type, shame and ridicule and its effects play an

equal role in the life of adolescents. No adolescent wants to

deal with the adverse affects of these factors. So avoidance of

such hurt at all cost becomes the primary motive.

· To clarify the question, why does peer pressure work so well

among teens, lets lay out the points:

o Teens are trying to figure out their place in their school

or group

o Acceptance satisfies a need to belong

o Life becomes easier when we act like others

o Teens really care about what their peers and friends

think

· However, peer pressure has both positive and negative

connotations. Peer pressure can generate good, as well as

bad habits. Also, peer pressure can help aid in the strength

needed to avoid risks to your health.

· There are ways to avoid the negative affects of peer pressure

and uncomfortable situations.

· When your own values are being compromised you might be

pressured to do what everyone else is doing. However, you

can fight peer pressure and keep your self-respect. You

can:

· Make decisions about your life

· Say no to the demands of others

· Respond to people who criticize you or put you down

· Be different from others

· Groups that leave others out and make members conform

do not make anyone feel good about him or herself.