Peer Pressure: The Queen Bee And Her Court

Peer pressure is typical occurrence a majority of high schoolers go through. Most of the time, peer pressure has a negative connotation to it; however, depending on the situation, it could have a positive effect. In “Student’s Work Ethic Affected by Peer Groups, Desire to be Popular,” by Shankar Vedantam, he shows both the positive and negative effects motivational peer pressure can have, while Rosalind Wiseman’s “The Queen Bee and Her Court” displays roles of individuals in teen cliques. The people you surround yourself with could greatly affect your motivation whether it is in school or the workplace. According to Vedantam, “When students were sitting in the honor classes, among peers who were more high-performing, they were more likely to sign up for the SAT. But when they were sitting in non-honors classes, among lower-performing peers…students essentially don't want to be seen as a nerd” (Vedantam). Students today, do not want to be seen as different; therefore, if the group they associate themselves with are lacking in their studies, they will as well. In contrast, if one’s peers are striving to do well, he or she will be more motivated to stay focused in his or her schoolwork.

Furthermore, the deeper you look into these cliques, you see the roles teens play in their group and how peer pressure affects each and every one of them. Wiseman gives an example of a role, the “queen bee,” stating “She may easily feel that she can’t admit to anyone when she's in over her head because her reputation dictates that she always has everything and everyone in control” (Wiseman). With that said, it shows that even the one who seems to reign supreme can feel the pressure, not wanting to show weakness due to the fear that he or she could lose popularity or