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Drug addiction and teens
Peer pressure amongst teens
Peer pressure amongst teens
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"The ugly reality is that peer pressure reaches its greatest intensity at just the age when kids tend to be most insensitive and cruel." -- Walt Mueller, Understanding Today's Youth Culture
Overcoming peer pressure always proves to be a challenge; being in the moment with the intention of rejecting the pressure tends to breed fear. There are all types of pressures in life from people, to possible addiction causing agents, and the desire to have fun. Personally at UC Irvine people may say there is not much to do, but there are a variety of things if you know where to look –seen in another Zot blogger’s posts. The peer pressure at UCI in terms of drugs or alcohol is not excessive, but the possibilities of neglecting your studies is. Involvements, going out to eat, and taking a break all prove to be major time consumers from studying. There are ways that can relieve you of too much of these temptations, and that you can be productive; however, there are also ways to not be persuaded by negative peer pressure as well.
Be involved, but do not put your interests over your necessitie...
“Peer Pressure: Its Influence on Teens and Decision Making.” 2008. Teacher Scholastic Journal. Retrieved 2008. (http://headsup.scholastic.com/articles/peer-pressure-its-influence-on-teens-and-decision-making).
While college times today are faced with more and more peer-pressure there are ways on getting through this. Everyday college students are pressured to either not go to class or leave work till the last minute for a little bit of fun. Surrounding yourself with positive people who share similar values helps a lot in overcoming this. I...
Peer pressure is doing something that is not quite normal, but your friends pressure you into the situation because they do it. This definition of peer pressure is something that is always happening, especially with the world changing each day. Things like tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, are all possibilities that peer pressure is related to. However, in the texts “Shooting and Elephant” by George Orwell and “No Witchcraft for Sale” by Doris Lessing demonstrate peer pressure among many thing; however, there are many solutions resulting in good things compared to the bad things that have happened. Solutions to peer pressure in these texts could be many things, but the three that would work best would be: ignore the person, walk away, and lastly, know that you should not do anything you do not feel comfortable with.
... instead of following the majority. The issue of peer pressure can relate to teens, as they are in constant pressure to be ‘cool’ or to be in the ‘in’ group. It does not really promote individualism, so people cannot develop their own ideas but rather follow the leader of their group.
"Parents and teachers often miss children's nascent understanding of group dynamics, as well as kids' willingness to buck to the pressure," Killen explains. Children begin to figure out the costs and consequences of resisting peer group pressure early. By adolescence, they find it only gets more complicated."
Sumter, S.R., Bokhorst, C.L., Steinberg, L., & Westenberg, P.M. (2009). The developmental pattern of resistance to peer influence in adolescence: Will the teenager ever be able to resist? Journal of Adolescence, 32(4), 1009-21. Retrieved from
To what extent do those around us affect the way we think; they we perceive a situation; or they way we form our prerogatives? There are many different trains of thought, some of which are adopted, others of which are taken into account based on experience and periods of introspection, but there is one that lies with it, a fundamental difference in comparison to others: the group mind. To which it involves several individuals, a group mind is in essence, a collective following to a set of beliefs and/or practices, usually brought together through forms of social pressure and preconceived notions of moral obligation. Furthermore, these groups are often characterized by the absence of individualism and a sense of obliviousness towards how their unspoken rules influences their view of the world as a whole. Moreover, group minds also involve social pressures, often enticing some to forsake their opinions to fit the given status quo of the group. Indeed, humans are social creatures that want to feel as if their participation in a group has value, but without the awareness of how social pressures affect their ability to make decisions and how one can overcome such pressure, they are nothing more but mental toxins, or in other words, group minds.
When an individual take on the behaviors, attitudes, and styles of their peers because of the pressure of fitting in, this is peer conformity, also known as peer pressure. In most cultures the amount of time we spend with our peers tends to increase, as well as the effect they provide for support. Peer influence can start as soon as the third grade for some an...
On the 9th of November, I interviewed two college students about how they was peer pressured as an adolescent. Kelsie Brooks, a sophomore at East Tennessee State University, she experienced peer pressure when
...wn life, peer pressure plays an enormous role in everyday society. People do unimaginable things when pressure is put on them by people that they admire. We comply and conform when brainwashed, influenced, and pressured. It creates huge and destructive problems and moral struggles as seen with Orwell, the victims of Jonestown, and the thousands of teens that fall prey to peer pressure everyday. The only way to combat peer pressure is for others to start being accountable for their own actions and for integrity to become a higher priority in day-to-day life. If society can begin to teach our youth this then we will be one step closer to eliminating the problem; however, complete elimination of peer pressure can only come when adolescents and adults alike stop being the problem, and start becoming the solution by resisting the urge to pressure and be pressured.
Liccione, Anthony. " Quotes About Peer Pressure." (22 Quotes). Goodreads, n.d. Web. 12 May 2014.
Teenagers become caught up with following peers, because the decision is made to become involved in experimental activities by choice. On the other hand, peer pressure in teens can allow mature growth in the student, because the individual can them become a leader within an environment in a positive manner. According to kidshealth.org, “Getting to know lots of different people-
"People! Come on! All of us are cutting history. Who wants to go take that stupid exam? We're going to BreadSticks instead. Let's go!" says the coolest kid in your class. Do you do what you know is right and go take the history exam? Or do you give in and go with the crowd? As you grow older, you'll be faced with some challenging decisions. Some don't have a clear right or wrong answer - should you practice the piano or text your girlfriend? Other decisions involve serious moral questions - should you cut class, should you lie to your parents? Making decisions on your own is hard enough, but when other people get involved and pressure you to make a certain choice, it can be much harder.
Though it's different in many ways from high school, there is still pressure at college to "fit in" and to be liked by others. There is often peer pressure to do things you wouldn't normally do "because this is college" and you are trying to meet new friends. While a trip to Wal-Mart at 3am or staying up late with friends while trying to eat your weight in cookie dough maybe fun new things to try, driving while blindfolded because of a sorority dare or trying cocaine "because this is college" and definitely not good choices. Listen to your common sense.
Children grow up and move into teenage lifestyles, involvement with their peers, and how they look in other peoples eyes start to matter. Their hormones kick in, and they experience rapid changes in their minds, and bodies. They also develop a mind of their own, questioning the adult standards and need for their parental guidance. By trying new values and testing ideas with peers there is less of a chance of being criticized. Even though peer pressure can have positive effects, the most part is the bad part.