essay on positive and negative effects of peer pressure

Peer Pressure: Positive and Negative Effects Essay

Introduction, positive effects of peer pressure in my life, negative effects of peer pressure in my life, works cited.

Peer pressure is an individual or a group’s influence on others for them to act differently, change their beliefs, attitudes, or traits to be able to suit or conform to a specified norm. Initially, an individual may not support a specified norm or action but may end up conforming to the same one after external influence from the peer group or other individuals. Solomon Asch, who conducted Asch conformity experiments, asserts that conformity to normative influence is aimed at gaining social approval or reward; it avoids social punishment or disapproval from influencing peers or groups. In my lifetime, there have been many cases when I was influenced by peer pressure, both positively and negatively (Savage 67).

Although peer pressure is usually attributed to negative behaviors and attitudes, in reality, it has both negative and positive effects on an individual. The effects of peer pressure depend on the nature of the influencing group. A bad group may influence an individual in a wrong way, while a good group may instill in a person positive values. Examples of negative peer influence include making wrong decisions, loss of identity, and development of bad habits, while positive peer influence includes exposure to the world, adopting positive habits, and overcoming bad habits. However, the negative effects of peer pressure are more apparent than its benefits (Raum 72).

There are several instances when peer pressure has been instrumental in shaping my attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs positively. Group work has been influential in ensuring my success in academics. When I was in high school, I happened to be assigned to a discussion group that was comprised of people who valued the process of studying a lot. Initially, I was not keen on my studies and I did not want to participate in academic activities which I considered irrelevant, but since members of my group valued education highly, in the end, I had to adapt their studying spirit. The influence of the group played a key role in my academic success. Some of the positive values that the group instilled in me are honesty in academics, hard work in my fields of study, and good management of time. Further, the group influenced my social life by helping me to be a responsible and disciplined individual (Savage 71).

Being an ardent Christian, I considered taking alcohol as immoral, sinful, and unethical. However, the influence of peer pressure made me consume alcohol. One summer, my college friend invited me to a party that had a lot of nice meals and drinks, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. During that party, my friends were taking alcohol and I was the only person who did not take alcoholic drinks. At first, I rejected their attempt to lure me into taking alcohol but after some time, I went against my principles and tasted some alcohol. I took alcohol to have my friends’ social approval. Although I never tried taking alcohol after that case, my experience proves that peer pressure is a powerful tool that, can influence one to get involved in negative behaviors (Raum 88).

In conclusion, it must be highlighted that Solomon Asch was right when he stated that peer pressure is a powerful tool that can influence an individual to do what he or she did not anticipate. Peer pressure may influence a person positively or negatively. One conforms to the norms of a group to gain social reward or avoid group punishment.

Raum, Elizabeth. Peer Pressure . Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2008. Print.

Savage, Lorraine. Peer Pressure . Detroit, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Print.

Chicago (A-D)
Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, February 4). Peer Pressure: Positive and Negative Effects. https://ivypanda.com/essays/peer-pressure-positive-and-negative-effects/

"Peer Pressure: Positive and Negative Effects." IvyPanda , 4 Feb. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/peer-pressure-positive-and-negative-effects/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Peer Pressure: Positive and Negative Effects'. 4 February.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Peer Pressure: Positive and Negative Effects." February 4, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/peer-pressure-positive-and-negative-effects/.

1. IvyPanda . "Peer Pressure: Positive and Negative Effects." February 4, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/peer-pressure-positive-and-negative-effects/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Peer Pressure: Positive and Negative Effects." February 4, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/peer-pressure-positive-and-negative-effects/.

The Asch Conformity Experiment
A Criticism of the Asch Conformity Experiment
Social Conformity in Solomon Asch’s Experiments
Group Conformity in Psychological Experiments
Conformity as a Social Psychology Concept
Social influence and anti social behaviour
The Power of Peer Pressure
"Twelve Years a Slave" by Solomon Northup Literature Analysis
King Solomon: Life and Legacy
Jero: A Balinese Trance Séance Documentary
Military Experience: Sergeant Major
Reality Check: Who Makes the Rules?
The Dark Ages in My Life, History, and Theater
Experience of Becoming a Successful Outdoor Leader
My Ideal Career: Personal Dream

essay on positive and negative effects of peer pressure

25,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

School Education /

Essay on Peer Pressure: 100, 200, and 450 Word Samples in English

Updated on
Mar 2, 2024

Have you ever done something just because your friends or peers have done it? Say, watched a movie or TV series, visited places, consumed any substance, or academic achievement. This is a classic example of peer pressure. It means you are influenced by your peers or people around you.

Peer pressure can be both positive and negative, but mostly, it has negative effects. Peer pressure often occurs during adolescence or teenage years when individuals are more susceptible to the opinions and actions of their peers. Sometimes, peer pressure can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, we must deal with peer pressure in a civilized and positive way.

On this page, we will provide you with some samples of how to write an essay on peer pressure. Here are essay on peer pressure in 100, 200 and 450 words.

This Blog Includes:

Essay on peer pressure in 450 words, essay on peer pressure in 200 words, essay on peer pressure in 100 words.

Master the art of essay writing with our blog on How to Write an Essay in English .

‘Be true to who you are and proud of who you’re becoming. I have never met a critic who was doing better than me.’ – Jeff Moore

Why do we seek recognition? Why do we want to fit in? Why are we not accepting ourselves in just the way we are? The answer to these questions is almost the same; peer pressure. Peer pressure is the influence of our peers in such a way, that we wish and try to do things in the same way as others did.

Negatives and Positive Peer Pressure

Peer pressure can have positive and negative effects. Positive peer pressure can result in better academic performance, personal growth and development, etc. We can be a source of inspiration to our friends or vice versa, which can result in better academic growth, adopting healthier lifestyles, and engaging in community service. For example, you are part of a group collaborating on a community project that demonstrates the constructive influence of peer interaction. This can encourage a sense of purpose and shared responsibility.

Negative Peer Pressure is the opposite of positive peer pressure. In such cases, we are influenced by the negative bad habits of our peers, which often result in disastrous consequences. Consider the scenario where one of your friends starts smoking simply to conform to the smoking habits of his peers, highlighting the potentially harmful consequences of succumbing to negative influences.

How to Deal With Peer Pressure?

Peer pressure can be dealt with in several ways. The first thing to do is to understand our own values and belief systems. Nobody wants to be controlled by others, and when we know what is important to us, it becomes easier to resist pressure that goes against our beliefs.

A person with self-esteem believes in his or her decisions. It creates a strong sense of self-worth and confidence. When you believe in yourself, you are more likely to make decisions based on your principles rather than succumbing to external influences.

Choosing your friends wisely can be another great way to avoid peer pressure. Positive peer influence can be a powerful tool against negative peer pressure.

Building the habit of saying ‘No’ and confidently facing pressure in uncomfortable situations can be a great way to resist peer pressure. So, it is important to assertively express your thoughts and feelings.

Peer pressure can have different effects on our well-being. It can contribute to personal growth and development, and it can also negatively affect our mental and physical health. We can deal with peer pressure with the necessary skills, open communication, and a supportive environment. We must act and do things in responsible ways.

Also Read: Essay on Green Revolution in 100, 200 and 500 Words

‘A friend recently started smoking just because every guy in his class smokes, and when they hang out, he feels the pressure to conform and be accepted within the group. However, he is not aware of the potential health risks and personal consequences associated with the habit.

This is one of the many negative examples of peer pressure. However, peer pressure can often take positive turns, resulting in better academic performance, and participation in social activities, and physical activities.

Dealing with peer pressure requires a delicate balance and determination. Teenagers must have alternative positive options to resist negative influences. Developing a strong sense of self, understanding personal values, and building confidence are crucial components in navigating the challenges posed by peer pressure.

Learning to say ‘No’ assertively can be a great way to tackle peer pressure. You must understand your boundaries and be confident in your decisions. This way, you can resist pressure that contradicts your values. Also, having a plan in advance for potential pressure situations and seeking support from trusted friends or mentors can contribute to making informed and responsible choices.

‘It is our choice how we want to deal with peer pressure. We can make good and bad decisions, but in the end, we have to accept the fact that we were influenced by our peers and we were trying to fit in.’

‘Peer pressure refers to the influence of your peers. Peer pressure either be of positive or negative types. Positive peer pressure can encourage healthy habits like academic challenges, physical activities, or engaging in positive social activities. Negative peer pressure, on the other hand, can lead us to engage in risky behaviours, such as substance abuse, reckless driving, or skipping school, to fit in with our peers.’

‘There are many ways in which we can deal with peer pressure. Everyone has their personal beliefs and values. Therefore, they must believe in themselves and should not let other things distract them. When we are confident in ourselves, it becomes easier to stand up for what we believe in and make our own choices. Peer pressure can be dealt with by staying positive about yourself.’

Ans: ‘Peer pressure refers to the influence of your peers. Peer pressure either be of positive or negative types. Positive peer pressure can encourage healthy habits like academic challenges,, physical activities, or engaging in positive social activities. Negative peer pressure, on the other hand, can lead us to engage in risky behaviours, such as substance abuse, reckless driving, or skipping school, to fit in with our peers.’

Ans: Peer pressure refers to the influence of our peers or people around us.

Ans: Peer pressure can have both positive and negative effects on school children. It can boost academic performance, encourage participation in social activities, adopt healthier lifestyles, etc. However, peer pressure often results in risky behaviours, such as substance abuse, unsafe activities, or other harmful behaviours.

For more information on such interesting speech topics for your school, visit our speech writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

Connect With Us

25,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today.

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2024

September 2024

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

Don't Miss Out

Peer Pressure Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on peer pressure.

Peer pressure can be both negative and positive. Because if a person is a peer pressuring you for a good cause then it is motivation. Motivation is essential for the growth of a person. While peer pressure for a bad cause will always lead you to a disastrous situation.

Therefore it necessary for a person to not get influenced by the people around them. They should analyze the outcome of the deed in a strict manner. So that they no may commit anything harmful for themselves. As this world is full of bad people, so you need to be careful before trusting anybody.

Advantages of Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is advantageous in many ways. Most importantly it creates a sense of motivation in the person. Which further forces the person to cross the barrier and achieve something great. Furthermore, it boosts the confidence of a person. Because our brain considers people’s opinions and makes them a priority.

Many salesmen and Entrepreneurs use this technique to influence people to buy their products. Whenever we are in a social meet we always get various recommendations. Therefore when a person gets these recommendations the brain already starts liking it. Or it creates a better image of that thing. This forces the person to buy the product or at least consider it.

This peer pressure technique also works in creating a better character of a person. For instance, when we recommend someone for a particular job, the interviewer already gets a better image of that person. Because he is recommended by a person the interviewer trusts. Therefore there is a great chance of that person to get hired.

Above all the main advantage of peer pressure can be in youth. If a young person gets influenced by an individual or a group of people. He can achieve greater heights in his career.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Disadvantages of Peer Pressure

There are various disadvantages of peer pressure which can harm a person in many ways. If any person is not willing to perform a task then the peer pressure can be frustrating to him.

Furthermore, peer pressure should not be in an excessive manner. Because it lands a negative impact on the person. A person should be of the mindset of listening to himself first. While considering opinions in favor of him.

Peer pressure in youth from a bad company can lead a person to a nasty situation. Furthermore, it can also hamper a student’s career and studies if not averted. Youth these days are much influenced by the glamorous life of celebrities.

And since they follow them so much, these people become their peers. Thus they do such things that they should not. Drugs and smoking are major examples of this. Moreover most shocking is that the minors are even doing these things. This can have adverse effects on their growth and career.

It is necessary to judge the outcome of a deed before getting influenced by peers. Furthermore, peer pressure should always be secondary. Your own thoughts and wants should always have the first priority.

Q1. What is peer pressure?

A1 . Peer pressure is the influence on people by their peers. As a result, people start following their opinions and lifestyle. Furthermore, it is considering a person or his opinion above all and giving him the priority.

Q2. Which sector of the society is the peer pressure adversely affecting?

A2 . Peer pressure has adverse effects on the youth of society. Some false influencers are playing with the minds of the youngsters. As a result, the youth is going in the wrong direction and ruining their career opportunities.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

Travelling Essay
Picnic Essay
Our Country Essay
My Parents Essay
Essay on Favourite Personality
Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
Essay on Knowledge is Power
Essay on Gurpurab
Essay on My Favourite Season
Essay on Types of Sports

Download the App

Bipolar Disorder
Therapy Center
When To See a Therapist
Types of Therapy
Best Online Therapy
Best Couples Therapy
Best Family Therapy
Managing Stress
Sleep and Dreaming
Understanding Emotions
Self-Improvement
Healthy Relationships
Student Resources
Personality Types
Verywell Mind Insights
2023 Verywell Mind 25
Mental Health in the Classroom
Editorial Process
Meet Our Review Board
Crisis Support

What Is Peer Pressure?

Types, Examples, and How to Deal With Peer Pressure

David Young-Wolff/The Image Bank / Getty Images

Parental Influence
Peer Pressure at All Ages
How to Cope

Peer pressure is the process by which members of the same social group influence other members to do things that they may be resistant to, or might not otherwise choose to do. Peers are people who are part of the same social group, so the term "peer pressure" refers to the influence that peers can have on each other.

Usually, the term peer pressure is used when people are talking about behaviors that are not considered socially acceptable or desirable, such as experimentation with alcohol or drugs.

Though peer pressure is not usually used to describe socially desirable behaviors, such as exercising or studying, peer pressure can have positive effects in some cases.

Types of Peer Pressure

In reality, peer pressure can be either a positive or negative influence that one peer, or group of peers, has on another person. The following six terms are often used to describe the types of peer pressure a person may experience.

Spoken vs. Unspoken Peer Pressure

As the name suggests, spoken peer pressure is when someone verbally influences another person to do something. For instance, a teenager might influence their friend to smoke a cigarette by saying, "Come on, one cigarette won't hurt."

Unspoken peer pressure, on the other hand, is when no one verbally tries to influence you. However, there is still a standard set by the group to behave in a certain way.

Even if no one tells the teenager to smoke a cigarette in the example above, the teen may still feel pressured by their peers to partake in the activity because it seems like everyone is doing it.

Direct vs. Indirect Peer Pressure

Direct peer pressure is when a person uses verbal or nonverbal cues to persuade someone to do something. The example mentioned above of a teen handing another teen a cigarette is also an instance of direct peer pressure because the teen on the receiving end must decide on the spot how they're going to respond.

With indirect peer pressure, no one is singling you out, but the environment you're in may influence you to do something. If you're at a party where everyone is drinking, for instance, you might feel pressured to drink even if no one asks you to.

Positive vs. Negative Peer Pressure

Finally, peer pressure can be described as either positive or negative. Positive peer pressure is when a person is influenced by others to engage in a beneficial or productive behavior.

Negative peer pressure is the influence a person faces to do something they wouldn't normally do or don't want to do as a way of fitting in with a social group. People often face negative peer pressure to drink alcohol, do drugs, or have sex.

Examples of Peer Pressure

Peer pressure causes people to do things they would not otherwise do with the hope of fitting in or being noticed.

Things people may be peer pressured into doing include:

Acting aggressively (common among men)
Bullying others
Doing drugs
Dressing a certain way
Drinking alcohol
Engaging in vandalism or other criminal activities
Physically fighting
Only socializing with a certain group

Peer pressure or the desire to impress their peers can override a teen or tween's fear of taking risks, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Kids. Risky behavior with drugs and/or alcohol may result in the following:

Alcohol or drug poisoning
Asphyxiation
Driving under the influence (of alcohol or other drugs)
Sexually transmitted diseases

Behavioral Addiction

People can also feel an internal pressure to participate in activities and behaviors they think their peers are doing, which can put them at risk for the following behavioral addictions:

Food addiction
Gambling addiction
Internet addiction
Sex addiction
Shopping addiction
Video game addiction

In the case of teens, parents are rarely concerned about the peer pressure their kids may face to engage in sports or exercise, as these are typically seen as healthy social behaviors. This is OK, as long as the exercise or sport does not become an unhealthy way of coping, excessive to the point of negatively affecting their health, or dangerous (as in dangerous sports).

What starts out as positive peer pressure may become negative pressure if it leads a person to over-identify with sports, for example, putting exercise and competition above all else.

If taken to an extreme, they may develop exercise addiction , causing them to neglect schoolwork and social activities, and ultimately, use exercise and competition in sports as their main outlet for coping with the stresses of life. This can also lead to numerous health consequences.

Examples of Positive Peer Influence

We tend to hear more about the potentially negative effects of peer pressure. But the reality is, peer pressure can be positive. For instance, two friends might put positive pressure on each other to go to the gym together and stay accountable for their fitness goals.

Teens who volunteer in their community can keep each other motivated to participate. This involvement can lead to exposure to role models and eventually lead to the teens becoming positive role models themselves.

You can also positively peer pressure others by the way you respond to situations. For instance, if your friend is body-shaming another person, you can say, "Actually, it can be really harmful to criticize people's bodies like that."

In turn, your friend might reconsider criticizing people based on their appearance. By simply adhering to your own values and sharing them with a friend, you can positively peer pressure them to think before making a negative comment.

Parental Influence vs. Peer Pressure

Although parents worry about the influence of peers, overall, parents also can have a strong influence on whether children succumb to negative peer pressure.

Rather than worrying about the effects of their children's friendships, parents would do well to focus on creating a positive, supportive home environment. That way, even if your child is peer pressured to do something they don't want to do, they'll feel comfortable coming to you to talk about it first.

Role modeling good emotional self-regulation may also help your child stick to their own values when it comes to peer pressure. Self-regulation involves the ability to control thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in order to manage current behavior and achieve long-term goals.

This will teach your child positive ways of solving problems and coping with uncomfortable feelings, rather than trying to escape by doing things to fit into a crowd. Peer pressure to take potentially harmful risks can be balanced by parents ensuring that they set appropriate boundaries, provide support, and help to avoid risks. A few examples:

Pick up your child from events where alcohol or drugs may have been consumed.
Provide balanced, truthful information on issues such as alcohol and drug use.
Stay involved in your child's life. Believe it or not, you are one of their biggest influences and they listen when you talk.
Urge the importance of thinking before doing. Teach teens to ask themselves questions like: Could this harm me or someone else? Will this put my health or safety at risk? Is it legal? What are the long-term consequences for my health, family, education, and future?

Peer Pressure Beyond Childhood

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure because they are at a stage of development when they are separating more from their parents' influence, but have not yet established their own values or understanding about human relationships or the consequences of their behavior.

They are also typically striving for social acceptance and are more willing to engage in behaviors against their better judgment in order to be accepted.

However, adults are also vulnerable to peer pressure. Many adults are susceptible to drinking too much because their friends are doing it, or putting work before family because they're competing with other people in their office for a promotion.

The bottom line: Being aware of, and carefully choosing the influence of peers that will lead to healthy and happy experiences is a lifelong process.

How to Deal With Peer Pressure

Dealing with peer pressure can be difficult, but below are some ways to help address it.

Take Your Time

Instead of quickly agreeing to do something you'd rather not do, pause and take a few deep breaths . If someone is waiting for you to answer them, tell them you need to take a few days and think about it. It's easier to resist the pressure when you put some time and space between yourself and the situation.

Consider Your Reasons

When you're faced with a choice, ask yourself what your reasons are for doing something. If it's because all of your friends are doing it and you're afraid they won't talk to you if you don't join them, then you may want to reconsider.

You deserve to surround yourself with supportive people who respect your decisions—not people who pressure you into doing something that doesn't feel right.

Set Boundaries

Saying "no" can be hard, but it's necessary to set healthy boundaries in relationships. If someone persistently pressures you to do something, you can try telling them how it affects you.

For instance, you might say something like, "It upsets me when you offer me a cigarette when you know I don't smoke. I won't be able to keep hanging out with you if you don't respect my answer."

Offer an Alternative

It's possible that a friend who is peer pressuring you simply wants to spend more time with you or connect with you, but they don't know how else to ask.

If they pressure you to do shots with them at the bar when you aren't drinking, for example, you might suggest that you both hit the dance floor instead. Or maybe, you make a plan to go on a hike or to the movies the next time you hang out. That way, you're fulfilling both of your needs in a mutually beneficial way.

Graupensperger SA, Benson AJ, Evans MB. Everyone else is doing it: The association between social identity and susceptibility to peer influence in NCAA athletes . J Sport Exerc Psychol . 2018;40(3):117-127. doi:10.1123/jsep.2017-0339

Morris H, Larsen J, Catterall E, et al. Peer pressure and alcohol consumption in adults living in the UK: A systematic qualitative review . BMC Public Health. 2014;20:1014. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09060-2

Clark DA, Donnellan MB, Durbin CE, et al. Sex, drugs, and early emerging risk: Examining the association between sexual debut and substance use across adolescence . PLoS ONE. 2020;15(2):e0228432. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0228432

Stanaland A, Gaither S. “Be a man”: The role of social pressure in eliciting men’s aggressive cognition . Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2021;47(11):1596-1611. doi:10.1177/0146167220984298

Sabramani V, Idris IB, Ismail H, Nadarajaw T, Zakaria E, Kamaluddin MR. Bullying and its associated individual, peer, family and school factors: Evidence from Malaysian National Secondary School students . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2021;18(13):7208. doi:10.3390/ijerph18137208

Kim J, Fletcher JM. The influence of classmates on adolescent criminal activities in the United States . Deviant Behav . 2018;39(3):275-292. doi:10.1080/01639625.2016.1269563

National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens. Why Does Peer Pressure Influence Teens To Try Drugs? .

Pamela Rackow, Urte Scholz, Rainer Hornung. Received social support and exercising: An intervention study to test the enabling hypothesis . British Journal of Health Psychology , 2015;20(4):763. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12139

Vogel L. Fat shaming is making people sicker and heavier . CMAJ . 2019;191(23):E649. doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-5758

Dhull P, Beniwal RD. Dealing with peer pressure . Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal. 2017;7.

By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada.

Positive and negative effects of peer pressure

April 15, 2018

Peer pressure is but a fact of life where we get influenced by others around us – especially those we consider as our peers. We often tend to look upon others, observe their lifestyle choices, their mannerisms and tend to emulate the same. In fact, it is our formative years spent in the company of others, in school that tends to mold us into the men we are today.

While it would indeed be a far stretch to link peer pressure as being one of the reasons for our behavior today, it nevertheless has a powerful influence on the way we think, how we process thoughts and how we respond to certain situations. One could go on to claim that peer pressure, be it school or college, has a pivotal role to play in the choices we have made in our lives since then. Here’s to taking a closer look at some of the positive and negative effects of peer pressure.

Positive effects of peer pressure:

Marketing: Peer pressure is thought to be an effective tool in influencing the masses – think back to some of the trendy ads , and see the effect on the target demographic – you can see that peer pressure, used in the right way can be an effective marketing tool. As a matter of fact, several top ad companies use movie, television stars to star in their ads, as a way to apply peer pressure on the target group.

Behavioral: Peer pressure does play a pivotal role in modifying human behavior; it even influences in the way we process facts and arrive at certain solutions. In fact, some of the choices we may have made in the recent past could be based on peer pressure. Most governments are aware of the positive benefits of peer pressure and have started utilizing the services of some of the most influential figures in our society, which more often than not turn out to be film stars or sports icons, as a way to convey the message to the masses. In fact, a recent government ad aimed at preventing underage drinking, utilized the services of some of the top English footballers, to convey the message to a young, susceptible crowd with obvious results.

Personality development: Peer pressure, can even help develop your personality and transform you into a better person. It is dependent on the peer group and the choices they make; they can have a beneficial effect on you and help you make the right choice.

Negative effects of Peer pressure:

As mentioned earlier, peer pressure can play an influential role in your life and the choices you make. Here are some of the negative effects of peer pressure.

Key influencers: Your peers can turn out to be some of the key influencers in your life; you are bound to emulate their behaviors for bad or worse and some of the life choices they make. This is why it is important for parents to find out more about their kid’s friends and determine whether they are moving with the right crowd or not. One of the reasons for some of the underage crimes being committed across the US happens to be peer pressure. Often, the teen is dared to commit the crime to prove his worthiness and is further pressured by his peers, which soon pushes him along a road replete with bad choices.

Stress: One of the other reasons for most underage kids to suffer from high-stress levels happens to be the fact that they are often trying hard to fit in with the ‘in’ crowd. As a result, they are often under enormous pressure from their peers, and often feel anxious, irritated, and moody and may develop health issues as a result of the stress . This is why you may want to take your teen to a counseling session or other, or better yet, get him involve with a hobby which should help him reduce his stress levels.

Make the right decisions: Peer pressure does indeed play a powerful role when it comes to helping you make the right decision; this is why it is vital that we move with the right crowd during our formative years. Peer pressure happens to play an influential role and teaches us the difference between right and wrong; moving with the wrong crowd can lead you down a long road of bad choices and regrets.

These are some of the positive and negative effects of peer pressure.

Negative effects of cursing

July 28, 2018

Negative effects of prohibition

July 25, 2018

Negative effects of horror movies

July 19, 2018

How Peer Pressure Affects All Ages

Is It Always Bad?

Overcoming Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is any type of influence, positive or negative, that comes from a peer group. This peer group may be of similar age (e.g., children in the same classroom) but it can also be defined by other commonalities, including motherhood, professional affiliations, and your local neighborhood.

Peer pressure occurs throughout the lifespan, but learning to cope by building self-confidence and surrounding yourself with positive influences may help prevent problems with peer pressure from arising later.

This article will explain what peer pressure looks like in young adults and teens and how it can affect adults.

skynesher / Getty Images

What Is Peer Pressure?

Peer pressure often occurs when one or more members of your social group pressure you to behave or act in particular ways. It is often associated with negative or harmful activities like substance use, reckless driving, and more.

Peer Pressure in Children

Peer pressure doesn’t suddenly appear at a certain age. Peer pressure transcends age groups and can begin before the first day of school at daycare, playgroup, and more.

Once a child begins seeing themselves as a part of a community, the desire to fit in may occur for better or worse. This is why it is important to talk to your child early on about peer pressure and how to avoid being led into negative behaviors by their peers.

Peer pressure in younger children tends to be limited to copying bad behaviors such as acting out or taking things that don't belong to them.

Signs of Peer Pressure

A child who is experiencing peer pressure may:

Seem to have sudden changes in long-held beliefs and values
Have noticeable changes in attitude and behavior
Start dressing differently
Seem disconnected from family
Seem dissatisfied with themselves and their social life

Peer Pressure in Older Teens and Young Adults

Older teens and young adults may be peer pressured to engage in harmful activities like drinking alcohol, smoking, or reckless driving. At this age, peer pressure has the potential to affect a child's long-term health and well-being and put them into dangerous situations.

Gender can affect how these pressures are internalized and expressed. For example, of the 29% of teens who responded they felt peer pressure to look “good,” girls were more likely than boys to say they feel a lot of pressure to look good (35% vs. 23%).

Peer Pressure in Adults

Adults are not exempt from facing societal expectations and peer judgment or influence. For example, you may carry the pressure of academic achievement into your career. You may also face challenges like wanting to “keep up with the Jones’” and feel pressure to purchase items you cannot afford to maintain an image that fits into your work, social, or neighborhood environment.

Peer pressure is more than someone asking you to try drugs or drink alcohol. The following were listed as the top pressures experienced by teens aged 13 to 17 in one study:

Academic achievement (61% responded they feel pressure to get strong grades)
Looking a certain way (29% felt pressure to look “good”)
Fit into social peer groups (28% )
Be more involved in extracurriculars and be good at athletics (21%)
Drug and alcohol use (4% and 6%, respectively)

Types of Peer Pressure

You can experience peer pressure from people without them saying anything to you, and you can experience it from direct remarks made by others.

Direct peer pressure happens when one or more people directly encourage you to behave in a certain way or engage in certain activities.
Indirect peer pressure is the subtle type that pulls you into conforming to a social group to increase your chances of acceptance. For example, this might involve seeing other people who are considered "cool" drinking at a party.

We hear much more about direct peer pressure, as it is easier to detect and recognize as problematic. It sounds like someone telling you to stop worrying, start having fun, and be part of the group by participating in something you don't feel comfortable with. It may also be a threat, such as, "You can't hang out with us if you're not going to drink."

Is Peer Pressure Always Negative?

Peer pressure is not always negative. Trying to fit into a healthy social group, for example, of peers getting good grades, joining sports teams, and making plans for their futures, is positive. Some refer to this type of peer “pressure” as peer “influence.”

According to Brett Laursen, Ph.D., a fellow of the American Psychological Association whose work focuses on the outcome of children’s interactions with peers and parents, peer influence can occur anytime one peer is more “influential” than the other.

Benefits of Peer Pressure

Peer influence can show you there is support, encouragement, and community available to you. By seeing someone else do something positive, even if it’s challenging, you may reflect on your own life choices, goals, and where you spend your time.

Examples of positive peer influence include:

Joining an extracurricular activity or trying a new hobby
Challenging and not participating in gossip
Avoiding drugs and alcohol
Working to save money for college
Going to therapy (solo or couples)
Making a career change

Risks of Peer Pressure

The risks associated with peer pressure may not be immediately obvious or seem like cautionary tales, but they are serious and can have life-altering consequences.

Why Young People Are More Susceptible

Young people may be more susceptible to peer pressure because their identities are still forming; they desire to fit in and not be bullied and have less risk aversion than adults.

In addition, a combination of other age-related and developmental factors contribute to youth’s increased susceptibility to peer pressure:

They may have trouble regulating their emotions.
They may be more vulnerable to the effects of reward.
They favor immediate over delayed prospects.

Substance Abuse

Peer pressure to use substances like alcohol and cannabis can unfold into problems with substance abuse .

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), teen substance use affects brain development and can contribute to adult health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and sleep disorders.

In Sexual Situations

Peer pressure can lead a person to engage in sexual activity before they are ready. It may also influence the person to participate in unsafe, risky, or dangerous sexual activities. The consequences may include being exposed to a sexually transmitted infection (STI), developing pregnancy, or having images of yourself posted online without consent.

Mental Health

Being pressured by peers can be a stressful experience, whether it happens in person or online . It may shake your sense of identity and self-confidence and may contribute to excessive worry. In addition, prolonged exposure to this type of stress and tension may be a factor in mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression .

Rising above peer pressure means not giving in to the pull of others to act in a certain way. No matter your age, you can practice not giving in to negative peer pressure and work on surrounding yourself with more positive influences.

Some ways of coping with peer pressure include:

Not spending time with people who pressure you to do things that feel wrong or dangerous
Having difficult conversations , learning to say "no," and practicing leaving situations that feel unsafe or uncomfortable. This may include calling a parent or spouse for support.
Befriending people who resist negative peer pressure and/or who have a positive influence
Talking to a trusted peer or professional (e.g., teacher or counselor) if you have problems saying “no” or are feeling pressured to change something about yourself

Peer pressure is about the influence of others. It can be implicit or explicit, positive or negative. When the pressure is positive, encouraging you to become a better version of yourself, it may be referred to as peer “influence.”

While peer influence can improve your life, peer pressure can cause problems. For example, you may feel pressure to do unsafe things that have risks you may not fully know. Resisting peer pressure can involve avoiding it, saying no, and surrounding yourself with more positive influences.

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Peer pressure .

American Academy of Family Physicians. Helping your child deal with peer pressure .

Pew Research. Most U.S. teens see anxiety and depression as a major problem among their peers .

American Psychological Association. Speaking of psychology: the good and bad of peer pressure .

Meehan ZM, Hubbard JA, Moore CC, Mlawer F. Susceptibility to peer influence in adolescents: Associations between psychophysiology and behavior . Dev Psychopathol . 2022:1-13. doi:10.1017/S0954579422000967

National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens. Why does peer pressure influence teens to try drugs?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Teen substance use and risk .

Widman L, Choukas-Bradley S, Helms SW, Prinstein MJ. Adolescent susceptibility to peer influence in sexual situations . J Adolesc Health . 2016;58(3):323-329. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.10.253

American Psychological Association. Stress .

By Michelle Pugle Michelle Pugle, MA, MHFA is a freelance health writer as seen in Healthline, Health, Everyday Health, Psych Central, and Verywell.

The Types Of Peer Pressure

What Is Peer Pressure? Who hasn’t experienced peer pressure? It begins when you’re a student and feel the pressure to…

What Is Peer Pressure?

Who hasn’t experienced peer pressure? It begins when you’re a student and feel the pressure to get good grades.

But it doesn’t stop there. Peer pressure follows you to the workplace where you often change your behavior or habits to fit in.

Peer pressure, or peer influence, takes several forms. Different types of peer pressure can have a considerable impact on individual behavior during our growing years.

We are most vulnerable to various types of peer pressure during our teen years when we begin to shape an identity for ourselves. The urge to be influenced by others can result from either positive peer pressure or negative peer pressure but the pressure to conform is genuine.

The Positive And Negative Effects Of Peer Pressure

Peer pressure has both positive and negative influences. The positive effects of peer pressure are the types of peer pressure that ensure our stability, discipline and motivation to stay competitive.

For instance, if a peer group believes in working hard and doing well in life, an individual will experience the positive effects of peer pressure. If teammates in a sports group force each other to focus on staying healthy, it is another example of positive peer pressure.

However, peer pressure can take various negative forms. Negative peer pressure is when we find ourselves engaging in behavior that goes against our beliefs and values, simply because we desire acceptance by a group.

Drinking just to fit in with a new group of colleagues is an example of the negative effects of peer pressure.

Classic Types Of Peer Pressure

Active peer pressure.

Active peer pressure is when an individual or a group vigorously persuades you to engage in a specific behavior. Usually, the pressure to go along with group action is immense. It could result in positive peer pressure or negative peer pressure.

Let’s consider the example of Sanjay, a high achiever and popular among his peers. However, he led a sedentary lifestyle with little to no exercise. As a result, he began to suffer from many health issues, including chronic back and neck aches.

Sanjay’s workplace friends began to exert positive peer pressure on him to improve his lifestyle and nagged him to join a yoga class. The stress of having to make drastic changes to his lifestyle could very quickly have made Sanjay give in to the negative effects of peer pressure. He could have isolated himself from his peer group.

But Sanjay shook off his lethargy, took their advice and within three months was well settled into a health regime. He turned peer pressure into a great example of the positive effects of peer pressure.

Passive Peer Pressure

With passive peer pressure, an individual is exposed to one or more peers’ actions and behavior and is left to choose whether they want to follow along.

Take fashion choices such as tattoos and body piercings as an example of passive peer pressure. Whether these are positive effects of peer pressure or negative effects of peer pressure becomes a matter of perspective.

Many workplaces frown upon such choices. But if you are part of the art and entertainment industry, those choices may work in your favor.

Take, for instance, Puja. She hails from a family that struggled to ensure she received a good education, helping her join a corporate banking career. Many of her workmates supported high street fashion accessories while she grappled with family loans and other commitments.

These types of peer pressure can quickly turn into negative peer pressure. It calls for a great deal of mental maturity to withstand the negative effects of peer pressure and make wise long-term decisions.

Puja turned it into an example of positive peer pressure by getting acquainted with top brands, studying their business models and becoming an expert in the fashion accessories business. She did eventually enjoy high-end fashion accessories herself but at a time of her choosing.

Cultural Peer Pressure

You could be a small-town youngster finding yourself at an elite international school or someone who grew up with strict codes now working in a more liberal establishment. Organizational culture and peer pressure are linked.

In these types of peer pressure, the informal groups of individuals will determine the cultural thrust of the organization by their values and codes. For example, all organizations have official working hours. However, a company’s culture may be driven by peer pressure, resulting in employees working late into the night.

If there is positive peer pressure to act in a certain way, it coming from a leader who will force people down the line to conform to that peer pressure. Sometimes successful companies can collapse under the weight of negative peer pressure borne out of the wrong organizational culture. Thus, it is essential to ensure the corporate culture is driven by positive peer pressure that nurtures a productive working environment.

The types of peer pressure are not an easy subject to understand and deal with. However, it is critical to learn ways to work around peer pressure. Harappa Education offers a high-impact online course called Managing Teamwork where you l learn to calibrate your work to your team’s goals and expectations. Teamwork has become much more complicated today. Teams are increasingly global, virtual and project-driven. Taking a systematic approach to understanding teamwork can make all the difference to your success as a leader.

Explore topics such as Peer Pressure & How to Deal With Peer Pressure from our Harappa Diaries section and learn ways to work around with peer pressure.

A monthly newsletter from the National Institutes of Health, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Search form

September 2021

Print this issue

The Power of Peers

Who Influences Your Health?

Illustration of families and friends being active together at a park

Do birds of a feather really flock together? The science says yes. People do tend to choose friends who are similar to them. You also become more like your friends over time. And that can influence your health.

Many behaviors spread socially. Examples include how much you exercise, how much alcohol you drink, whether you smoke, and what foods you eat.

Scientists are still trying to untangle why that is. Studies have found that activity in certain brain areas changes when other people are around. That can affect what you choose to do.

But this work also suggests that you can harness the power of social relationships to gain healthier habits—and motivate others to do the same.

Social Influence

“People care about what others think across all different age groups—and that influences how much they value different ideas and behaviors,” says Dr. Emily Falk at the University of Pennsylvania. She studies how social networks affect decision making. This is called social, or peer, influence.

Teens are especially responsive to peer influence. That’s because their brains undergo changes that make them highly attuned to social situations. At the same time, the reward system in the teen brain becomes extra sensitive.

The reward system is a brain circuit that causes feelings of pleasure. It’s activated by things we enjoy, like eating good food. It’s also activated by social rewards, like getting a compliment.

And teens are just learning to navigate the social world. Understanding other people’s values and being influenced by them are important parts of socializing. Being influenced on things like clothing choices and musical taste can help teens learn to fit in and make friends. But taking part in risky behaviors, like drinking alcohol or smoking, can lead to health or legal consequences.

“Research shows that even just having another peer around can change the reward response in the brain and also the risk-taking tendencies of teenagers,” says Falk. Her team studies how peers affect teens’ driving behaviors and smoking decisions.

Some people seem to be more easily influenced than others, too. They may be more sensitive to feeling included or excluded by others. Or they may be more sensitive to social signals, like the tone of someone’s voice or their body language.

Dr. Mary Heitzeg’s team at the University of Michigan is doing research to better understand how a person’s biology and reactions to social situations affect whether they develop substance use or mental health problems later in life.

Using brain scans, the team is looking at how teens’ brains respond to being socially included or excluded. They’re also looking at how the brain’s reward system responds to different situations.

Heitzeg’s team is part of a large 10-year effort, called the ABCD Study, to understand the factors that influence teens’ health and risk behavior in the long term. Factors can include families, friends, schools, neighborhoods, and communities.

“Adolescence is such a risky period,” says Heitzeg. “That’s when sexual initiation happens, initiation and escalation of substance use happens, as well as other types of risky and delinquent behaviors, like risky driving.”

But it’s also a time that peer influence can help teens thrive if it gets them more involved with their community or helps them learn behaviors to get along with others, like how to cooperate or be empathetic.

Peer Quality, Not Quantity

Positive and negative peer influences can affect more than just your behavior. They can also change the way you feel.

Studies show that, in general, the more friends you have and the more time you spend with them, the happier you are. Friends give you people to share your feelings with, to get new perspectives from, or to just do fun activities with.

But it’s the quality of those friendships—not quantity—that really makes the difference. Quality of friendships has been linked to higher life satisfaction and better mental health.

“We’ve all experienced letting a friendship go because it didn’t feel great,” says Dr. Rebecca Schwartz-Mette of the University of Maine. Her lab studies how peer relationships affect the emotional development of children and teens.

Friendships you feel you want to let go of may be low quality. They might be fraught with conflict, criticism, and aggression. For youth, low quality friendships are linked to poor academic performance and behavioral issues.

High quality friendships provide understanding, support, and validation of your self-worth. These types of friendships are more stable and are more satisfying.

Spending time with friends can be especially helpful for people with anxiety or depression. However, Schwartz-Mette’s studies have shown that depression can also be worsened by certain friendship qualities. One is called co-rumination.

“Co-rumination is basically when people get together and talk excessively about everything that’s going wrong and how bad they feel,” she explains. “With that person, they feel understood, validated, and that this person is emotionally close to them. But they get more depressed because they’re focusing their attention on negative things.”

Research suggests that it may help to refocus such friendships. Talk about both positive and negative things in your day. Look for healthy activities to get out and do together, like going for a walk. Encourage each other to keep up healthy habits like physical activity, healthy eating, and getting a good night’s sleep.

“Noticing that our behavior is influenced by other people, we can be intentional and try to focus on the people who are doing the things we want to get into ourselves,” Falk explains. “Sharing your healthy habits with other people could make a real difference to somebody else.” And to yourself.

Parents can help guide their kids toward more positive social experiences, too (see the Wise Choices box for tips). But everyone can benefit from high quality friendships that help you nurture healthy habits.

Peer Pressure Problem: Negative and Positive Influences

Introduction, most affected stage, effects of peer pressure, handling peer pressure.

Peer pressure denotes the direct influence on a person by his/her peers through following their conduct, attitudes, and ways (Black, Devereux, & Salvanes, 2013). It varies from social influences as it makes a person change his/her approach or behavior with respect to the influencing individual or group. Peer pressure has been found to influence any person regardless of age, gender, or ethnic background. Other than negative influences such as drug abuse and gang violence, peer pressure might as well result in positive behaviors, for instance, the motivation for hard work or charitable endeavors.

Though the impact of peer pressure can occur at any age, adolescence is the stage at which people are especially vulnerable to such impacts, as at this point peers are highly important in one’s life, hence, may easily influence one’s behavior. Peer pressure is usually linked to the occurrence of negative behavior in adolescence since such conducts are common among peers. Connection with friends who take part in risk behaviors has been established to be a powerful predictor of conduct in the teenage years. The significance placed on peers has been found to decrease as a person enters adulthood, and so does peer influence. Peer pressure has mainly been associated with adolescents engaging in drug abuse and gang violence out of the yearning to fit in with peers and do the same things they do (Dumas, Ellis, & Wolfe, 2012). Nevertheless, though peer pressure plays the greatest role in the occurrence of such negative behavior among adolescents, poor self-worth, and the need to feel safe, also act as contributing factors.

Apart from negative behavior, peer pressure may also result in constructive impacts the moment teenagers get influenced by their peers towards positive conduct, for example, engaging in charitable tasks and working hard to excel in schoolwork or sports. According to studies, many adolescents are convinced that joining peer groups and seeking to outshine their friends in whatever task will make them popular (Bonein & Denant-Boèmont, 2015). In this regard, the average adolescence draws pressure from school, friends, or parents, which elicits the desire to belong to at least one group. In most instances, peer groups take part in violence, burglary, alcohol consumption, robbery, smoking, substance abuse, and premarital sex. It has been established that teenagers spend most of their time with peers rather than parents or other adults. In this regard, the adolescents who develop either positive or negative behavior stay clear of opposing groups and find the ones who propagate comparable actions.

Since most of the contemporary families are headed by single mothers who engage in extra jobs, children spend much time with friends, and this leaves them susceptible to negative peer influence. If teenagers are made aware that social interrelations are vital but just to a given level, they will have the ability to steer clear of negative behavior. On the same note, if educators and parents find adequate time to communicate with children, adolescents will have a high probability of sharing their feelings to get assistance instead of relying on their friends for guidance. This will make teenagers develop a better understanding of the meaning of friendship. Most importantly, the adolescents will become less vulnerable to the traps of peer influence, which will boost their chances of becoming respectable persons later in life (Chan & Chan, 2013).

Peer pressure signifies the influence on people by their peers through following their behaviors, attitudes, and practices. Peer pressure has been found to result mainly in negative behavior among adolescents. In this regard, both parents and teachers have a crucial role to play in ensuring that teenagers avoid negative peer pressure.

Black, S. E., Devereux, P. J., & Salvanes, K. G. (2013). Under pressure? The effect of peers on outcomes of young adults. Journal of Labor Economics , 31 (1), 119-153.

Bonein, A., & Denant-Boèmont, L. (2015). Self-control, commitment and peer pressure: A laboratory experiment. Experimental Economics , 18 (4), 543-568.

Chan, S. M., & Chan, K. W. (2013). Adolescents’ susceptibility to peer pressure relations to parent–Adolescent relationship and adolescents’ emotional autonomy from parents. Youth & Society , 45 (2), 286-302.

Dumas, T. M., Ellis, W. E., & Wolfe, D. A. (2012). Identity development as a buffer of adolescent risk behaviors in the context of peer group pressure and control. Journal of Adolescence , 35 (4), 917-927.

Cite this paper

Chicago (N-B)
Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2020, November 8). Peer Pressure Problem: Negative and Positive Influences. https://studycorgi.com/peer-pressure-problem/

"Peer Pressure Problem: Negative and Positive Influences." StudyCorgi , 8 Nov. 2020, studycorgi.com/peer-pressure-problem/.

StudyCorgi . (2020) 'Peer Pressure Problem: Negative and Positive Influences'. 8 November.

1. StudyCorgi . "Peer Pressure Problem: Negative and Positive Influences." November 8, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/peer-pressure-problem/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "Peer Pressure Problem: Negative and Positive Influences." November 8, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/peer-pressure-problem/.

StudyCorgi . 2020. "Peer Pressure Problem: Negative and Positive Influences." November 8, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/peer-pressure-problem/.

This paper, “Peer Pressure Problem: Negative and Positive Influences”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: November 10, 2023 .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

Positive and Negative Effects of Peer Pressure

Peer pressure has been getting a bad repute of late and with good reason but the fact remains that it is the same peer pressure that plays a critical role in shaping the lives of so many teenagers and can help set them on a path to self-discovery. What’s more, peer pressure can be quite influential in shaping the life of a person, from their lifestyle to the various choices they make in life and this is why it is important that you take a closer look at peer pressure and it’s positive and negative effects so that you can better understand the same.

Positive Effects of Peer Pressure:

The fact is that peer pressure is often used in a negative context these days but that is not to imply that peer pressure is bad or negative but that it is crucial for your social development. Here are a few positive effects of peer pressure.

Habits: Peer pressure is critical to how you adopt manners and mannerisms; granted that it is something that your parents should teach you and chances are that you already do. But peer pressure forms a critical component of the same and you get to fine-tune your manners and mannerisms by observing all those around you.
Personality development: Ask any good child psychologist and they would tell you that peer pressure is a critical component as far as your personality goes. While you may already have a personality, peer pressure can help you fine tune the same; it enhances positive development and is often the key to a well-developed personality.
Skill development: often, a young child develops essential skills by observing all those around him and the same extends to the time spent in developing the same in school and even in college. Often students develop new skills often solely based on peer pressure so it would not be an exaggeration to claim that peer pressure is often essential to skill development.
Positive influence: The fact is that peer pressure can play an influential role and is more than necessary for the healthy development of any child.

Negative Aspects of Peer Pressure:

Even though it can play an influential role, the fact is that peer pressure comes with more than a few negative connotations. It is listed below for your easy reference.

Bullying: With incidents of bullying being rampant in high school, it has become evident that peer pressure often forces you to do something against your will. In fact, in order not to stand out, you may be forced to participate in a bullying session with often devastating results for the victim. In fact, some of those bullied have been driven to suicide as well. It should be pointed out that peer pressure enables groups of young students to behave and act contrarily and may even encourage them to bully others, as a way to dominate them.
Negative habits: It is not unheard for young students to cut school and take off elsewhere. It should not come as a surprise that peer pressure is often one of the main reasons that these young students behave against the norm and often, seek a way to rebel against what they term as authority. In fact, in the US, a young teen was egged on by his compatriots to attack a 60-year-old Sikh man and while the old man was heavily inured, the incident only goes on to show you that peer pressure can lead you to pick up some negative habits.
Smoking, drinking and drugs: Often, peer pressure can compel you to smoke, to drink and even to do party drug. Often, you would feel compelled to do the same so that you would fit in with the crowd, and that’s on account of peer pressure. But every so often, these habits that you form can lead to bad decisions, and change your life for the worse. You may even get addicted to the substance in question and getting out the same is easier said than done.

These are some of the positive and negative aspects of peer pressure. And while peer pressure does come with a few negative effects, the fact is that they still continue to play an influential role even today. In fact, it is one of the cornerstones to personality and skill development and is more than just necessary. So, banning peer pressure may prove counterproductive as they can help and shape your lives for the better.

Latest Posts

Tulip Mania – The Story of One of History’s Worst Financial Bubbles - May 15, 2022
The True Story of Rapunzel - February 22, 2022
The Blue Fugates: A Kentucky Family Born with Blue Skin - August 17, 2021

The Influence of Social Pressure

Categories: Aesthetics Peer Pressure Social Psychology

About this sample

Words: 514 |

Published: Mar 16, 2024

Words: 514 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof Ernest (PhD)

Verified writer

Expert in: Arts & Culture Social Issues Psychology

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

3 pages / 1483 words

2 pages / 1120 words

5 pages / 2203 words

3 pages / 1178 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Social Psychology

Social dilemmas happen when the members of a group, culture, or society are in possible conflict over the establishment and use of shared “public goods”. Public goods are benefits that are shared by a community and that everyone [...]

Racism is a deeply ingrained issue in society that continues to plague communities across the globe. While overt acts of racism are widely condemned, there exists a more insidious form of racism that often goes unnoticed: the [...]

Florida, the Sunshine State, is a popular destination for travelers seeking warm weather, beautiful beaches, and a variety of attractions. I recently had the opportunity to visit Florida for a week-long vacation, and the [...]

The terms "introvert" and "extrovert" were first popularized by the famous psychologist Carl Jung in the early 20th century. According to Jung, introverts are people who tend to be more reserved, reflective, and self-reliant, [...]

Charles Horton Cooley, an American sociologist, introduced the concept of the "looking-glass self" in his work "Human Nature and the Social Order" in 1902. This theory suggests that our self-concept and self-esteem are formed [...]

What is psychology, what is science, is psychology considered science or art? We can easily answer the first two questions but to decide whether psychology is science or art has been a never-ending debate. Psychology has earned [...]

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Instructions Followed To The Letter
Deadlines Met At Every Stage
Unique And Plagiarism Free

Study Guides
Homework Questions

Peer Pressure and Its Impact on Teenagers

Undergraduate
High School
Architecture
American History
Asian History
Antique Literature
American Literature
Asian Literature
Classic English Literature
World Literature
Creative Writing
Linguistics
Criminal Justice
Legal Issues
Anthropology
Archaeology
Political Science
World Affairs
African-American Studies
East European Studies
Latin-American Studies
Native-American Studies
West European Studies
Family and Consumer Science
Social Issues
Women and Gender Studies
Social Work
Natural Sciences
Pharmacology
Earth science
Agriculture
Agricultural Studies
Computer Science
IT Management
Mathematics
Investments
Engineering and Technology
Engineering
Aeronautics
Medicine and Health
Alternative Medicine
Communications and Media
Advertising
Communication Strategies
Public Relations
Educational Theories
Teacher's Career
Chicago/Turabian
Company Analysis
Education Theories
Shakespeare
Canadian Studies
Food Safety
Relation of Global Warming and Extreme Weather Condition
Movie Review
Admission Essay
Annotated Bibliography
Application Essay
Article Critique
Article Review
Article Writing
Book Review
Business Plan
Business Proposal
Capstone Project
Cover Letter
Creative Essay
Dissertation
Dissertation - Abstract
Dissertation - Conclusion
Dissertation - Discussion
Dissertation - Hypothesis
Dissertation - Introduction
Dissertation - Literature
Dissertation - Methodology
Dissertation - Results
GCSE Coursework
Grant Proposal
Marketing Plan
Multiple Choice Quiz
Personal Statement
Power Point Presentation
Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes
Questionnaire
Reaction Paper

Research Paper

Research Proposal
SWOT analysis
Thesis Paper
Online Quiz
Literature Review
Movie Analysis
Statistics problem
Math Problem
All papers examples
How It Works
Money Back Policy
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
We Are Hiring

The Effects of Peer Pressure on Students, Essay Example

Pages: 3

Words: 761

Hire a Writer for Custom Essay

Use 10% Off Discount: "custom10" in 1 Click 👇

You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

There are no simple answers to the effects of peer pressure on students. It would be unfair to say that most peer pressure results in unwise decisions, as it is often generalized within current culture. Peer pressure transforms a student in a unique manner. The current analysis will examine the most dangerous effects of peer pressure on students, as well as the general negative and positive effects.

Dangerous Effects of Peer Pressure

There are a number of dangerous effects that peer pressure can have on students. These effects are often felt within media and schools, which is where the perceived dangers of peer pressures lie, according to most. However, they certainly cannot be disregarded due to the truth of these concerns.

Alcohol is felt within the consequences of peer pressure in students. With regards to underage drinking, this is a significant problem within students, especially in high school and college. The habits and commonplace of underage drinking is established in high school, which is then perpetuated to one’s college years.

Partying in general is another example of the more dangerous effects of peer pressure. Younger students at parties are around others who are unsupervised, which makes them more susceptible to peer pressure. Thus, items like drinking and other inappropriate behavior are accepted in one’s social circle. Peer pressure is commonly seen at parties, which is where a number of dangerous activities occur.

Sex is also another example of the negative effects of peer pressure. Students are having sex at a younger age, resulting in items like teenage pregnancies. As underage and unprotected sex becomes accepted in social circles, peer pressure often has an effect on students in this way as well.

General Negative Effects

There are a number of generally negative effects that peer pressure can have on a student’s development. Beyond the more dangerous effects, at least in regards to the more clearly defined negative effects, a number of underlying effects of peer pressure can be seen with students. The dynamics that are presented in peer pressure in students can unfortunately be quite negative.

Peer pressure can often drown out the opinion of one. When students are engaged in certain social circles, it is not uncommon to see the unfair treatment of individuals. Certain individuals, whether they are not liked, ignored, or just not seen, are often unable to relate to others.

Peer pressure also removes the choices that one should be able to make. A number of events and activities that students are involved in are done on a social level. Such activities remove the healthy choices that enable students to seek adventure and healthy activities, instead of what is expected or on schedule.

The underlying negative dynamic of peer pressure is the ultimate undermining of individuality. Peer pressure has the unfortunate effect of removing one’s own will and desires, in order to become accepted or liked within a social circle. As seen in these negative examples and in the more dangerous illustrations, the individual is often casted our in peer pressure. As a result, one is left to follow others in that of peer pressure.

General Positive Effects

Peer pressure can of course have positive effects on students. While this is often not portrayed, it rings true for many students. It can often push and help one to realize or perform something, to help someone thrive with the help of others.

Peer pressure can help individuals in more difficult periods. Friends are there to help someone in tough times, and peer pressure can help someone who needs wise council. Many students, who are involved with the right people, are able to enjoy the positive relationships when they need them the most.

Some activities driven by peer pressure can help students get involved. Activities and functions can be great for the social development of a student. Peer pressure, even when applied outside of one’s comfort zone, can ultimately be beneficial.

Peer pressure can also help individuals make the right choices. When students face difficult choices in their life, they often rely on their friends. In this manner peer pressure can help persuade one to the right decision, allowing their friend to see the positive way to react to an important choice.

It is unfortunate that peer pressure is often regarded in one dimension. While there are certainly negative effects of peer pressure, such as those that undermine one’s individuality and encourage dangerous practices, peer pressure can help an individual develop through the difficult times as a student and a person. Centered on surrounding oneself with positive influences, peer pressure can rise above the negative effects to institute healthy social and personal steps of one’s development.

Stuck with your Essay?

Get in touch with one of our experts for instant help!

Restructuring For Growth, Research Paper Example

Just Web Internet Policy Manual, Essay Example

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Plagiarism-free guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Secure checkout

Money back guarantee

Related Essay Samples & Examples

Voting as a civic responsibility, essay example.

Pages: 1

Words: 287

Utilitarianism and Its Applications, Essay Example

Words: 356

The Age-Related Changes of the Older Person, Essay Example

Pages: 2

Words: 448

The Problems ESOL Teachers Face, Essay Example

Pages: 8

Words: 2293

Should English Be the Primary Language? Essay Example

Pages: 4

Words: 999

The Term “Social Construction of Reality”, Essay Example

Words: 371

Shortform Books

The World's Best Book Summaries

4 Negative Effects of Peer Pressure & How to Avoid Them

This article gives you a glimpse of what you can learn with Shortform. Shortform has the world’s best guides to 1000+ nonfiction books, plus other resources to help you accelerate your learning.

Want to learn faster and get smarter? Sign up for a free trial here .

Why do people tend to copy what others do? What are the negative effects of peer pressure?

As a social species, humans often rely on the opinions and directions of others to feel accepted. Sometimes, peer pressure can have a positive effect on people, but there are instances where peer pressure can cause bad habits or hurt someone’s mental health.

We’ll first look at why people want to conform, and then we’ll explain the negative effects of peer pressure and how to overcome them.

Why People Give Into Peer Pressure

Whether we like it or not, The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal says both good habits and bad habits spread within social and family circles. Our brains have specialized cells, called mirror neurons, that keep track of what others around us do, say, think, feel, and want. When we see someone trip and fall, we wince and “feel their pain” for a moment. It’s because our mirror neurons are creating a theater in which a trip-and-fall play is unfolding, and for a moment, we’re starring in the play. It almost seems like it’s happening to us. Mirror neurons are the basis of our empathy instinct, which makes us understand other people’s feelings.

Our mirror neurons can respond to other’s pain and also to their emotions. This is also why television shows utilize laugh tracks—your mirror neurons will think the show is funnier because we hear other people laughing. But this mimicry of emotions also comes into play when we see others indulging. If you watch your spouse eat a giant bowl of ice cream because he or she has had a hard day, your brain starts craving a reward, too—even if you don’t particularly like ice cream. Your brain is empathizing with the emotional craving that’s occurring in his or her brain—“I had a hard day, so I deserve to eat something delicious.”

It’s also why if you go out to lunch with a friend who orders a glass of wine, you’re more likely to order a glass of wine, too—even if your willpower goal is no alcohol before 6 p.m.

The research: Studies have examined what happens in a smoker’s brain when they watch actors in movies smoke cigarettes. The regions of the brain that control hand movements actually light up—the brain is preparing the hands to pull out a cigarette and light up. Studies have also shown that gamblers will bet more money after seeing someone else win, and most of us will spend more money when shopping with others and eat more calories when eating with others.

The oddest part of this self-control epidemic is that it isn’t activity-specific. Any time we see people behaving badly—whether it’s breaking rules, disobeying laws, or just indulging in unhealthy habits—it increases our risk of giving in to peer pressure. If your friend cheats on their taxes, you may be more likely to cheat on an exam. If someone paints graffiti on your street, you may be more inclined to litter.

Are We All Lemmings?

It seems reasonable that our families and close friends influence our behavior, but we should also consider how much strangers influence our choices. For example, do you ever look to see what movies are popular or what the bestselling books are? Do you look at customer reviews for products you’re thinking about buying?

Our brains trust the tribe of humanity—we believe that what others enjoy must be good. The theory known as “social proof” sounds a lot like what your mother used to say: “Would you jump off a bridge just because your friends did?” Indeed you might. Humans are wired to do what others around them do.

“Everyone else is doing it” is one of the strongest marketing messages in the world (even though most of us believe it doesn’t apply to us). We may brag about our independent thinking, but the truth is that the human social instinct is overpowering—and our brains are wired to find a way to fit in, which means doing what others do and liking what others like.

The Downsides of Peer Pressure

Children, teens, and adults can all be potential victims of peer pressure. Children want to make friends on the playground, teens are influenced by peers at school or on the Internet, and adults feel the pressure at work or social gatherings. It’s natural for us to want to fit in, but the way we go about it isn’t always good, especially if it changes who we are as individuals.

Here are just four negative effects of peer pressure that you may experience if you’re trying to fit in.

1. Peer Pressure Makes You Lose a Sense of Judgment

According to Influence by Robert B. Cialdini, people who give in to peer pressure are more likely to lose their own sense of judgment because they decide what’s correct based on what other people think is correct . This is a concept he calls “Social Proof.” If lots of other people are doing something or thinking something, then it must be good and worthy of imitation. It’s why television producers add laugh tracks to unfunny sitcoms: they know that, through social proof, we’ll be more likely to laugh if we hear others laughing (even if we don’t find the content to be funny on its own).

Social proof can be faked, manufactured, or used for self-serving purposes by compliance practitioners to trick you into jumping on the bandwagon. It’s why so many product advertisements talk about being the “fastest-growing” or “highest-selling”: the marketers want to convince you that there’s a groundswell of demand for the product from others. Or even worse, they’ll create fake “person-on-the-street” commercials where allegedly “real” people (who are actually paid actors) talk up the merits of the product. These manufactured advertisements could trick you into joining something dangerous, even if they say it’s good for you. Smoking and fast food products are just two examples of many.

These manipulation tactics not only make you lose judgment but also your sense of self. Is there a reason to do something, beyond just the fact that everyone else is doing it? Don’t be like a pilot who flies by relying solely on her instruments. You also need to actually see the sky in front of you. Sometimes you do need to look critically at the world around you, take the time to assess situations, think for yourself, and apply your own individual judgment.

2. Peer Pressure Negatively Shifts Morals

In The Lucifer Effect , Philip Zimbardo explains that social pressures are a major circumstantial variable with the power to influence us to act immorally. When the people around us want us to do something evil, it becomes significantly more difficult for us to resist. These social pressures come in two main forms that often overlap: group pressure and authoritative pressure.

Group Pressure

Zimbardo asserts that we all have a basic need to feel accepted by those around us. For this reason, when we find ourselves in new situations, we observe those around us to determine what behavior is appropriate. In this way, our morals often shift to match those of the people around us .

Zimbardo notes that if we perceive a group to be prestigious and exclusive, the pressure it exerts on us is even more powerful. Our human need to belong becomes stronger when combined with our desire for status. For example, a schoolchild who wants to be accepted by the “cool kids” may make fun of kids they would normally be friends with.

Authoritative Pressure

Authoritative pressure is when an individual or group in power bids you to do something. Zimbardo asserts that, generally speaking, it’s far more likely that we will commit evil if we’re “just following orders.” While group pressure is indirect and sometimes accidental, authoritative pressure is a direct attempt to control your behavior.

Research has shown that we’re far more compliant with authority than we believe ourselves to be. To support this point, Zimbardo describes the most famous experiment on this subject: the Milgram experiment. In 1963, Yale professor Stanley Milgram ran this experiment: An assistant in an authoritative-looking lab coat ordered volunteers to administer increasingly severe shocks to a fellow volunteer for a study on memory. Unbeknownst to them, this second volunteer was an actor who would pretend to be in incrementally greater pain until they screamed in agony, begged the volunteer to stop, and finally pretended to lose consciousness.

A group of psychiatrists predicted that fewer than 1% of volunteers would follow orders and administer the most severe shock level, but in reality, 65% of people did. Milgram presented this as evidence of the extreme power of authoritative pressure.

3. Peer Pressure Makes People Gullible

Another negative effect of peer pressure is that it can make us believe almost anything, even something irrational . In games where people earn status by believing in an idea, then the belief itself becomes a status symbol. The people who have adopted the idea come to view it as a core part of their identity. An example is the theory that childhood vaccinations cause autism: Will Storr ( The Status Game ) describes how, when well-intentioned parents believe misinformation about vaccines and reject immunizations for their children, some become so invested in groups that spread anti-vaccination messages that these groups become core to their identity.

Storr explains that when a game becomes too conformist, it becomes something like a cult, a group that requires people to show complete obedience with their behaviors and their beliefs. In games that require conformity, players gain status by proving their dedication to the group’s belief. As people see others attaining status within the group, they join and adopt the belief, which becomes part of their identity . In this way, even extreme ideas grow in popularity.

4. Peer Pressure Can Increase Mental Health Issues

A negative effect of peer pressure is that, while you want to fit into a group, it also makes you want to be better than everyone else. Comparing yourself to others, says Brené Brown’s book The Gifts of Imperfection , can lead to a lack of self-worth and terrible mental health issues.

Comparison’s damage lies in the fact that it involves both competition and conformity . At first, this might seem counterintuitive. How can we both compete with others and strive to conform at the same time? Surely competing with others requires being different from them—specifically, being better?

Brown argues that competition and conformity do co-exist, and do so very destructively. They feed into each other when you want to be the “best” in your particular social or societal group—when you want to conform to that group’s standards, and do so “better” than everyone else. For example, if you live in a traditional suburb with broadly identical houses, you might want to become “better” than your neighbors by having the greenest lawn, the nicest yard, or the most desirable car. Another example is when a group enforces conformity so much that you feel pressured to prove that you’re better than outsiders.

When you allow comparison, competition, and conformity to take over, you lose sight of your inherent worthiness. You begin to base your self-worth on how well you match up against others—on how well you’re conforming. You think you’ll only be worthy if you meet certain standards of behavior. This is incompatible with the unconditional self-acceptance that underpins true worthiness.

If you fail to either conform or stand out, however, your sense of grandiosity turns into humiliation or a loss of pride and self-respect. The Status Game says that humiliation can result in poor mental health outcomes like depression, anxiety, and even suicidal ideation .

How to Use Peer Pressure to Your Advantage

Fortunately, peer pressure also works in a positive direction, The Willpower Instinct affirms. If your close friend quits smoking, you’re much more likely to quit smoking, too. Willpower—and the lack of it—is contagious. Hang out with the right people, and your willpower will increase; hang out with the wrong people, and you’ll give in to temptation more frequently.

It may sound like humans are merely lemmings, but our strong social instinct can be an advantage. Think about whether there’s someone in your social circle who has struggled with a willpower challenge and succeeded. It might serve you well to spend more time in their company.

It’s tough to be under the influence of others, but this can also help us boost our self-control and help us avoid the negative effects of peer pressure. If you imagine yourself being evaluated by others—especially people you admire—you may decide to make less impulsive choices. For example, if you know your eight-year-old wants you to quit smoking, imagine his disappointed face when he catches you sneaking a cigarette in the backyard. Or imagine how proud he will be to celebrate with you when you reach your first no-smoking anniversary.

Wrapping Up

Peer influence is powerful in children and adults. It can help you make good decisions, but it can also lead you to make bad ones. It’s your responsibility to not give in to social influence so you won’t have to experience the negative effects of peer pressure.

What are other negative effects of peer pressure that people should look out for? Let us know in the comments below!

Want to fast-track your learning? With Shortform, you’ll gain insights you won't find anywhere else .

Here's what you’ll get when you sign up for Shortform :

Complicated ideas explained in simple and concise ways
Smart analysis that connects what you’re reading to other key concepts
Writing with zero fluff because we know how important your time is
← How to Develop a Product Idea That Will Sell Out Fast
How the Ranga Dias Fraud Accusations Highlight a Wider Problem →

Somehow, Katie was able to pull off her childhood dream of creating a career around books after graduating with a degree in English and a concentration in Creative Writing. Her preferred genre of books has changed drastically over the years, from fantasy/dystopian young-adult to moving novels and non-fiction books on the human experience. Katie especially enjoys reading and writing about all things television, good and bad.

How to Be Less Sensitive and Live Stress-Free

Infant Attachment: The Lifelong Benefits of Feeling Safe

How to Deal With Negative Emotions: Fear, Doubt, & More

Committed Action: Putting ACT Into Practice

Problems With White Fragility: Playing the Victim

Anxiety About the Future: It’s All in Your Head

IMAGES

Sample Peer Pressure Essay
Peer Pressure: Positive and Negative Effects
≫ Positive and Negative Peer Pressure Free Essay Sample on Samploon.com
Positive And Negative Effect Of Peer Pressure (400 Words)
Effects Of Peer Pressure Essay
Effect of peer pressure on students Essay Example

VIDEO

The Positive and Negative Effects of Late Marriage
HOW TO WRITE A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENT ESSAY? PART II

COMMENTS

Peer Pressure: Positive and Negative Effects Essay
The effects of peer pressure depend on the nature of the influencing group. A bad group may influence an individual in a wrong way, while a good group may instill in a person positive values. Examples of negative peer influence include making wrong decisions, loss of identity, and development of bad habits, while positive peer influence ...
Essay on Peer Pressure: 100, 200, and 450 Word Samples in English
Essay on Peer Pressure in 100 Words. 'Peer pressure refers to the influence of your peers. Peer pressure either be of positive or negative types. Positive peer pressure can encourage healthy habits like academic challenges, physical activities, or engaging in positive social activities. Negative peer pressure, on the other hand, can lead us ...
Peer Pressure Essay for Students and Children
500+ Words Essay on Peer Pressure. Peer pressure can be both negative and positive. Because if a person is a peer pressuring you for a good cause then it is motivation. Motivation is essential for the growth of a person. While peer pressure for a bad cause will always lead you to a disastrous situation. Therefore it necessary for a person to ...
Peer Pressure: Definition, Types, Examples, and Ways to Cope
Though peer pressure is not usually used to describe socially desirable behaviors, such as exercising or studying, peer pressure can have positive effects in some cases. Types of Peer Pressure In reality, peer pressure can be either a positive or negative influence that one peer, or group of peers, has on another person.
Peer Pressure: Essay, Types, Factors, Strategies & Solutions
4. Negative Peer Pressure. Negative peer pressure, on the other hand, encourages individuals to participate in potentially dangerous actions. Friends might pressure someone to skip classes, experiment with drugs, or engage in delinquent activities. Negative peer pressure often stems from the desire for social acceptance, fear of exclusion, or ...
Positive and negative effects of peer pressure
As mentioned earlier, peer pressure can play an influential role in your life and the choices you make. Here are some of the negative effects of peer pressure. Key influencers: Your peers can turn out to be some of the key influencers in your life; you are bound to emulate their behaviors for bad or worse and some of the life choices they make.
Peer Pressure and Its Positive Effects: Essay Example
Positive Effects of Peer Pressure: Essay Conclusion. Peer pressure plays a crucial role in developing young people's values, habits, principles, and behaviors. Even though peer pressure is primarily viewed as a negative phenomenon, it is impossible to overestimate its positive qualities. Teachers and parents, who perform the function of ...
The good and bad of peer pressure, with Brett Laursen, PhD
In this podcast, we talk with a psychologist who looks at the science behind peer pressure, both the good and the bad. Brett Laursen is a professor of psychology at Florida Atlantic University, where his research focuses on how children and teens interact with their peers and parents. Specifically, he studies how these relationships affect ...
Peer Pressure Signs, Risks, and How to Cope
Summary. Peer pressure is about the influence of others. It can be implicit or explicit, positive or negative. When the pressure is positive, encouraging you to become a better version of yourself, it may be referred to as peer "influence.". While peer influence can improve your life, peer pressure can cause problems.
Types of Peer Pressure
Peer pressure has both positive and negative influences. The positive effects of peer pressure are the types of peer pressure that ensure our stability, discipline and motivation to stay competitive. For instance, if a peer group believes in working hard and doing well in life, an individual will experience the positive effects of peer pressure.
The Power of Peers
Positive and negative peer influences can affect more than just your behavior. They can also change the way you feel. Studies show that, in general, the more friends you have and the more time you spend with them, the happier you are. Friends give you people to share your feelings with, to get new perspectives from, or to just do fun activities ...
Peer Pressure Problem: Negative and Positive Influences
Effects of Peer Pressure. Apart from negative behavior, peer pressure may also result in constructive impacts the moment teenagers get influenced by their peers towards positive conduct, for example, engaging in charitable tasks and working hard to excel in schoolwork or sports. According to studies, many adolescents are convinced that joining ...
Positive Peer Pressure: a Friend Within Friends
Peer pressure is often perceived as a negative force, conjuring images of people succumbing to unhealthy behaviors or making poor choices just to fit in. Yet, there is a side of peer pressure that is frequently overlooked—the positive side. It's a force that encourages personal growth, motivates individuals to strive for better, and opens ...
Negative and Positive Aspects of Peer Pressure
The way the positive peer pressure can affect your life in a positive way is your actions and your main outlook on life. If you are someone that has been influenced by positive peer pressure you will generally know if they are encouraging, you to do something good or bad its simple. If someone is encouraging, you to do your homework it is ...
Positive and Negative Effects of Peer Pressure
Here are a few positive effects of peer pressure. Habits: Peer pressure is critical to how you adopt manners and mannerisms; granted that it is something that your parents should teach you and chances are that you already do. But peer pressure forms a critical component of the same and you get to fine-tune your manners and mannerisms by ...
The Influence of Social Pressure: [Essay Example], 514 words
Overall, social pressure can have both positive and negative effects on individuals and society as a whole. On the one hand, social pressure can help maintain social order and cohesion by encouraging individuals to conform to societal norms and expectations. This can help promote cooperation, unity, and a sense of belonging within society.
Peer Pressure and Its Impact on Teenagers (pdf)
One of the defining factors during this phase is the influence of peer pressure, a force that can shape teenagers' behaviors, attitudes, and decision-making. This essay explores the intricate dynamics of peer pressure and its profound effects on teenagers, delving into both the positive and negative aspects of this social phenomenon. 1.
Positive And Negative Effects Of Peer Pressure
The negative type of peer pressure is when they force you to do something bad while positive type of peer pressure is when they cheer you to do something that will cause a good result. This study will use both positive and negative factors of peer pressure that can be affect the students' behavior. The purpose of this study is to know if the ...
The Effects of Peer Pressure on Students, Essay Example
Peer pressure is commonly seen at parties, which is where a number of dangerous activities occur. Sex is also another example of the negative effects of peer pressure. Students are having sex at a younger age, resulting in items like teenage pregnancies. As underage and unprotected sex becomes accepted in social circles, peer pressure often has ...
4 Negative Effects of Peer Pressure & How to Avoid Them
Milgram presented this as evidence of the extreme power of authoritative pressure. 3. Peer Pressure Makes People Gullible. Another negative effect of peer pressure is that it can make us believe almost anything, even something irrational. In games where people earn status by believing in an idea, then the belief itself becomes a status symbol.
Essay On Negative Effects Of Peer Pressure
Moreover, peer pressure can be expressed in both positive and negative means where it happens when the one is influenced by friends. Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked or worry that other kids might make fun of them if they do not go along with the group (Lyness, 2015). Therefore, this essay will indicate the ...
Essay on Negative Effects of Peer Pressure
Peer pressure, a negative form of social persuasion, has long been cited as a negative influence on pupils and is normally associated with irresponsible behaviors (Ford, 2014) and there are studies to show that when peer pressure increases for a student, their self-efficacy for academic tasks decreases. Kiran-Esen performed a study of 546 high ...

Peer Pressure: Positive and Negative Effects Essay

25,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Essay on Peer Pressure: 100, 200, and 450 Word Samples in English

This Blog Includes:

Shiva Tyagi

Connect With Us

25,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today.

Need help with?

Country Preference

Which English test are you planning to take?

When are you planning to take the exam?

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

What is your budget to study abroad?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

Essex Direct Admission Day

Peer Pressure Essay for Students and Children

Advantages of Peer Pressure

Disadvantages of Peer Pressure

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Download the App

What Is Peer Pressure?

Types of Peer Pressure

Spoken vs. Unspoken Peer Pressure

Direct vs. Indirect Peer Pressure

Positive vs. Negative Peer Pressure

Examples of Peer Pressure

Behavioral Addiction

Examples of Positive Peer Influence

Parental Influence vs. Peer Pressure

Peer Pressure Beyond Childhood

How to Deal With Peer Pressure

Take Your Time

Consider Your Reasons

Set Boundaries

Offer an Alternative

Positive and negative effects of peer pressure

Positive effects of peer pressure:

Negative effects of Peer pressure:

Related Posts

Negative effects of cursing

Negative effects of prohibition

Negative effects of horror movies

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

How Peer Pressure Affects All Ages

Overcoming Peer Pressure

What Is Peer Pressure?

Peer Pressure in Children

Signs of Peer Pressure

Peer Pressure in Older Teens and Young Adults

Peer Pressure in Adults

Types of Peer Pressure

Is Peer Pressure Always Negative?

Benefits of Peer Pressure

Risks of Peer Pressure

Why Young People Are More Susceptible

Substance Abuse

In Sexual Situations

Mental Health

The Types Of Peer Pressure

What Is Peer Pressure?

The Positive And Negative Effects Of Peer Pressure

Classic Types Of Peer Pressure

Passive Peer Pressure

Cultural Peer Pressure

Search form

The Power of Peers

Social Influence

Peer Quality, Not Quantity

Related Stories

Peer Pressure Problem: Negative and Positive Influences

Positive and Negative Effects of Peer Pressure

Positive Effects of Peer Pressure:

Negative Aspects of Peer Pressure:

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

The Influence of Social Pressure

Cite this Essay

Related Essays

Still can’t find what you need?

Related Essays on Social Psychology