Negative peer pressure is a problem which many people will face in their lifetime. It is a direct influence of someone of the same age group. It is proven the performance of people changes when others observe them. Also, the presence of others tends to increase the most likely outcome (whether it be positive or negative). Peer pressure has an influence on many types of people and it is commonly associated with children. Children through young adults are the most known recipients of peer pressure but their experiences vary.
The first article involving peer pressure is, “Teaching your Child to Resist Negative Peer Pressure.” It is about different strategies parents can use to influence their children when they are faced with peer pressure. Peer pressure is among the most prevalent reasons why children act out in social situations. Some of the strategies for parents include hearing your child’s excuses and trying to see the underlying issues, educating your child about outside influences, giving them talking pointers when they are in a tough situation, and reenacting situations so they can see how to handle peer pressure. These situations all involve the parents or parent sitting down with their child and talking with them about peer pressure. While communication is good and healthy, this is only helpful if the child is willing to have this conversation with their parent.
This article does a good job of explaining a large part of peer pressure is conformity. Conformity is adjusting behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard. The article does point out the negative aspects of peer pressure but does not address peer pressure having a possible positive influence. For example, if a child is surrounded by children who love to play outside and not play video games constantly, the peer pressure to also play outside is good because it is healthier than playing video games non-stop. The author of the article should have the parents explain both the positive and the negative effects of peer pressure on their child.
The next article is, “Dealing with Peer Pressure” and it is directed at High Schoolers. The article begins by stating all peer influence is not bad. It can be helpful for receiving friendship, encouragement, advice, or learning to experience new things. The author goes on to explain how following peer pressure is natural. Just as animals stay together in groups so do human beings. It is natural to follow peer pressure, but it is not always right. A few pointers the article gives to teenagers are to listen to their gut, plan for situations, stay close to those with similar values, learn to say no, and speak up if you are uncomfortable.
Overall, the article does a good job explaining what peer pressure is and how it can affect those who are influenced by it. The article fails to explain any of the scientific reasons behind social groups and conformity but instead shares general and vague information. The end of the article does a good job talking about the difference one person can make in a situation. Teenagers are more likely to conform when they are made to feel insecure, they are in a group of at least three people, they admire the group’s status or attractiveness, or they know the others in the group are observing their behavior. If one person stands up for what they believe others will be less likely to conform.
The last article is called, “Dealing with Peer Pressure in College.” It provides a little background about peer pressure and assumes the reader understands what it is. The bulk of the article is list tips and tricks for avoiding peer pressure in college. These include being confident in your decisions, finding a new group of friends, knowing your values, removing yourself from uncomfortable situations, and being a good influence on those around you. The article ends by saying peer pressure is a part of life and everyone experiences it.
This article has a weak argument for why and how college students should avoid peer pressure. It does not explain what it is or why it can be harmful to individuals. The article is even confusing when talking about being confident in your own decisions. It states the way to combat peer pressure is to just not do something if it is uncomfortable for you. If that was the only solution to this issue I feel as though people would not struggle with it. The article is totally undermining the effects of being in a social setting and the pressures which come with it. The article does well in addressing the importance of culture in society. Culture is the behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next. This article challenges college students to find a culture or set of values which fits best with their beliefs and stick with it. Cultures can shape us into who we want to be while allowing us to be our true selves.
Peer pressure varies across the world and is different for children, high schoolers, and college students. These articles on peer pressure are not peer-reviewed and are not completely trustworthy sources. While they are not scholarly, these articles did make some true statements about the positive and negative effects of peer pressure. Also, they mentioned peer pressure occurs across the lifespan and it is natural for human beings to conform to groups. The people reading these articles looking for advice need to be careful of where the evidence is coming from because each of these sources fails to share important information about peer pressure.
https://www.highschoolillustrated.com/under-pressure-403
http://www.onlinecollegecourses.com/2010/10/10/dealing-with-peer-pressure-in-college/
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