UNDERSTANDING PEER PRESSURE

Almost everyone has experienced peer pressure before, either positive or negative. Peer pressure is when your classmates, or other people your age, try to get you to do something. It is so easy to give in to peer pressure because everyone wants to fit in and be liked. Especially when it seems like “everyone is doing it”. Sometimes people give in to peer pressure because they do not want to hurt someone’s feelings or they do not know how to get out of the situation so they just say “yes”.

Peer pressure  is influence a peer group, observers, or an individual exerts that encourages others to change their attitudes, values, or behaviors to conform to those of the influencing group or individual. Social groups affected include both membership groups, in which individuals are "formally" members (such as political parties and trade unions), and cliques in which membership is not clearly defined. However, a person does not need to be a member or be seeking membership of a group to be affected by peer pressure. One may also recognize dissociative groups, with which one wishes to avoid associating, and thus behave counter to that group's norms

WHO ARE PEERS?

Your friends — your peers — are people your age or close to it who have experiences and interests similar to yours. You and your friends make dozens of decisions every day, and you influence each other's choices and behaviors. This is often positive — it's human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group.

As you become more independent, your peers naturally play a greater role in your life. As school and other activities take you away from home, you may spend more time with peers than you do with your parents and siblings. You'll probably develop close friendships with some of your peers, and you may feel so connected to them that they are like an extended family.

Why Do People Give in to Peer Pressure?

Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids might make fun of them if they don't go along with the group. Others go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that "everyone's doing it" can influence some kids to leave their better judgment, or their common sense, behind

How to resist peer pressure?

·         Understanding your own values and beliefs

·         Have Self-confidence

·         Choose your friends wisely

·         Talk to a trusted adult

·         Don’t make excuses – say exactly how you feel

How do peers pressure?

·         Insults: making a person feel bad for not doing something, so that they eventually will

·         Reasoning: pressure by giving a person reasons why they should do something

·         Rejection: pressure by threatening to end a relationship or a friendship

·         Unspoken pressure: simply seeing all your peers doing something or wearing something can be s form of pressure

Negative effects

Ø Alienation From the Family-The direct effect of negative peer pressure is alienation from the family. The teen will just not like to be in the company of his parents as he feels that their values are standing in the way of his desires. A negative peer pressure is always antagonistic to the values that are promoted by the family. Thereby, the first thing that the teen does is to compromise the values and then indulge in activities that are contrary to them.

Ø Disinterest in Studies-Negative peer pressure teaches and encourages the teen to ignore studies. He will thus bunk classes and be completely uninterested in academics. The grades would naturally fall the teen would find it difficult to cope up in high school or get admission in colleges. This will naturally affect his career.

Ø Negative Behaviour-Negative peer pressure renders an impact in his behaviour and attitude. They feel that it is a mark of independence to disobey and disregard the opinion and values of their parents. They turn hostile and it affects their relationship with their parents, social circle and later in their personal lives also succumbs to this negativity.Amongst the other common effects of negative pressure is indulgence in smoking, alcohol, drugs and early sexual activities. If the negative peer pressure is not timely taken care of, it can damage the future life of the teen in a major way leading to behavioral and psychological disorders, not to forget the physical harm ensuing from it.

The positive side   

While it can be hard for teens to resist peer influence sometimes, especially in the heat of the moment, it can also have a positive effect. Just as people can influence others to make negative choices, they can also influence them to make positive ones.

Ø A teen might join a volunteer project because all of his or her friends are doing it, or get good grades because the social group he or she belongs to thinks getting good grades is important. In fact, friends often encourage each other to study, try out for sports, or follow new artistic interests.

Ø peer influence can lead teens to engage in new activities that can help build strong pathways in the brain.