What Is Peer Pressure?
Peer pressure is a social influence exerted on an individual by others in order to get that person to act or believe in a similar way. It is used by a social group, often with the implication that "everybody's doing it." This influence can be negative or positive, with a successful result being a change in a person's behavior.
Nearly all children experience some form of peer pressure, whether at school, at church or at home among siblings. As a kind of social pressure, it dominates preteen life. Many teens become absorbed into different cliques and groups, spending less time with their families. Much of the personality of a teen can be shaped by a peer group.
Negative peer pressure can be a dangerous tool against children, especially younger or insecure children. They may be persuaded to take actions they might otherwise not have considered, such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol or taking drugs. Peer pressure is a problem for adults, who may be coerced, for example, into buying a house or car they can't afford in an effort to "keep up with the Joneses."
Peer pressure is not always negative, however. A student whose friends excel in academics may be compelled to study hard and get good grades. Influence can also be exerted to get a friend off drugs or to help an adult take up a good habit or drop a bad one. Study groups, class projects and athletic groups are examples of positive peer groups.
Peer pressure takes other forms too. It can be found in toddlers mimicking others in ways their parents might not approve of, such as cursing. It can also be positive, encouraging little ones to take naps or eat their vegetables.
Combating Negative Pressure
Schools and other organizations try to teach kids about the dangers of negative peer pressure and to embrace the beneficial influence of a positive peer group. Kids are taught to stand up and be themselves. They are advised to politely decline to do things that they believe are wrong. They are taught to stop and think about what they do and not act in a particular way just because everybody else is.
Parental involvement can also help negate harmful peer pressure. Parents can take a number of steps, including encouraging close relationships with their children; getting to know both the children's friends and the parents of those friends; knowing where their children are and who they're with; and providing structure and discipline at home.
Written by Matthew F.
