We've all experienced peer pressure and know how uncomfortable it can be. Did you know that peer pressure can also be good? Do you know how to avoid or rise above the negative peer pressure that you experience? Do you experience negative peer pressure on a regular basis? What sorts of activities are you pressured to engage in? What are some different forms that peer pressure can take?
The article below talks about having self-confidence and convictions, and how this can help you overcome negative peer pressure. It is sometimes difficult to stick to your convictions. It can be nearly impossible if you haven't taken the time to figure out what your convictions are. Teens will be faced with many difficult decisions as their peers start experimenting with "adult" behaviors. The more time you take to think about what behaviors you want to participate in, the easier it will be to make the right decision when the time comes. If you don't take the time to think about it, you may find that the decision is made for you...
The following article is taken from the website listed below:
http://www.allpsychologycareers.com/topics/peer-pressure.html
Peer Pressure
The light turned yellow and the boy
slowed down.
“Come on, what are you? Some kind of
grandma?” his friend in the passenger seat shouted. “I don't want to be late to
class.”
The driver felt his stomach drop. He
didn't want to look bad in front of his friend, but he didn't have much time
before the light changed red. He put his foot on the gas and accelerated. The
boys zipped past cars and just before the intersection, the light turned red.
It was too late to stop now.
Barely dodging traffic, the boys made
it through the red light, celebrating their bravado as their hearts raced.
That's when they heard the siren of the traffic officer behind them.
Teenagers feel peer pressure every day
in their lives, whether in school or out on the town. During their teenage
years, kids differentiate themselves from their parents by participating in
peer groups, and sometimes, these groups offer negative choices to teens.
Oftentimes, “just saying no” isn't
enough, and teens must look inward at self-confidence and personal convictions
to make good choices.
Positive Peer Pressure
When most people think of the phrase
“peer pressure,” images of underage teens participating in destructive behavior
spring to mind. But most people overlook positive examples of peer pressure,
including situations where friends push teens to grow in beneficial ways.
In fact, peer pressure is one of the
most effective ways for a teen to practice good behavior and make smart choices
in his or her life. For example, consider a teen who surrounds him or herself
with members of an academic club, a club of peers who participate in class, and
work for good grades.
The Family Survey Study, conducted at
the University of Michigan, has found that peer pressure does more good than
harm for many students. The study, which examined 1,500 adolescents, found a
majority of participants reported little peer pressure to drink, smoke, or have
sex. In fact, the study found that more teens supported good choices among
their friends than bad choices.
Parents and teachers should encourage
teens to explore their independence with friends who make good decisions,
promoting these kinds of positive peer influences. Unfortunately, not all
friendships a teen makes are positive ones. Some friendships do lead to cases
of negative peer pressure where a teen participates in risky behavior to fit
into the group.
Negative Peer Pressure
Loneliness and desire for acceptance
often drives students to give in to negative peer pressure. For example,
consider a sophomore high school transfer student who has experienced
difficulty meeting friends in class. It's as if everyone has a group and except
for this boy. One day in the cafeteria right before lunch begins, a group of
kids invites him over. The boy, excited and eager to meet new friends, begins
conversing with the kids, discovering they are about to skip school for the
rest of the day to go to a friend's house whose parents are out of town.
The boy knows skipping school is wrong,
but he also desperately wants to make friends in his new location. The boy's
emotions rage inside him, but he makes the choice to accompany the kids to
their friend's house, giving in to peer pressure even though he knows the
consequences are severe if his parents or teachers catch him.
This type of situation is commonplace
for teenagers today, especially for vulnerable students. The boy in the example
was lonely and lacked self-confidence to meet friends in more positive ways. To
boost self-confidence, his parents needed to support him, reaffirming to him
the positives in his life. While teenagers often seem as if they are brushing
aside statements about how likeable they are, it bolsters their
self-confidence, and encourages them to seek out new friends.
Teenagers who are more likely to
succumb to peer pressure often feel isolated from peers, lack direction in
their lives, are uncertain about their place in a peer group, and have low
self-esteem. The need to fit in to a group undermines their own convictions,
and they follow the crowd in dangerous ways, participating in acts like
smoking, vandalism, drinking, sex, cheating, and sneaking out at night.
Teens who give in to negative peer
pressure frequently lack support from their family members, which causes them
to seek acceptance in other places. Family members must discuss uncomfortable
topics like drugs and sex in open and honest ways. If the family ignores topics
like these, the teen will go to his or her peers for potentially inaccurate
answers.
An open and trusting family
relationship arms the teen with information about negative choices like smoking
and drug use, and the teen is more likely to make good decisions. When
confronted with negative peer pressure, teens are taught to ask questions such
as, “Why would we do that?” or “Is this a smart thing to do?”
By identifying negative behavior and
evaluating the consequences, such as thinking, “We'll get in trouble if we do
that,” or “Smoking will kill you,” kids come to correct conclusions, and avoid
bad choices.
When was the last time you were pressured to do something you didn’t
want to do, something you felt was wrong?
Did you give in to the pressure?
If so, how did you feel about it afterwards? If not, how did you get out of the
situation? Write about it here…
