What is peer pressure?
Peers are people who belong to the same social group. They play a major role in the social and emotional development of children and adolescents. The effect that a peer group has, begins at an early age and becomes more prominent during the teenage years as this is the time that a child starts to form new relations with people and starts to form an identity amongst them. It is the most common age for children to start experimenting with alcohol, drugs, sexual activity, and other risky behaviors (Talkitoutnc.org, 2019).
Types of peer pressures:
- Active peer pressure: This type of pressure is when someone asks, suggests, or tries to persuade another person to engage in certain activities or behave in a certain manner. The influence depends on whether it is from a single entity or a group. Groups tend to have greater pressure on an individual. For example, friends try to explicitly force you into drinking at a party or social gathering.
- Passive peer pressure: This type of peer pressure is more like a choice that a person is left with upon being exposed to certain actions of peer/s. The person can choose if they would want to follow along or not. For example, since others are wearing something, the person should follow to ‘fit in’. No one is directly asking them to follow, but there is unspoken pressure.
Peer pressure can be negative or positive:
Dr. Prinstein in his research has put forward that there are certain traits that are found in teens who are more susceptible to peer pressure:
Peer pressure is hard to resist but it can become an opportunity for you to grow and learn what’s right for you. The following things can be done :
Resisting negative peer pressure is not an easy choice but the feeling that one has when they do resist such advances of other people is irresistible. Your stand might just help other peers of yours to take a stand for themselves. Peer pressure can either lead you to your desired destination or leave you astray. It all depends on your choice.
