Caue and Effects of Peer Pressure
Jordan LeBlanc
Professor Williams
English 1301
October 28, 2012
Causes and Effects of Peer Pressure
Peer pressure has a much greater effect on adolescent teens than any other factor. Think about it, teens spend more of their waking hours with peers than family members. The interaction is direct, and much more powerful than the influence of teachers and other authority figures. Peer pressure tends to have more of an effect on children with low self-esteem. If a child feels compelled to fit in, the teen may do things that go against his/her beliefs simply to be part of the group.
Peer pressure can lead to experimentation with drugs and alcohol, sex, skipping school, and various high risk behaviors. If there is a sudden change in child’s appearance, clothing, and attitude, especially if accompanied by secretive behavior, he or she may be succumbing to the influences of peers. Especially if there is a sudden change in the friends who make up their core peer group. An unexplained change in the type of friends the child associates with would indicate that the child is vulnerable to new influences that may not be positive.
How can parents who spend far less time with their children than do their peers, have an influence on their teens? Parents need to set clear expectations for behavior, establish rules about communicating where and with whom their teenagers are spending their time, and should pre-set consequences for lying about activities or where they are going. By communicating expectations, the adolescent cannot claim they “did not know” what is expected of them.
One of the most difficult issues can be when a teen decides to hang out with the “wrong crowd”. Parents often find it is difficult to control such behavior. They will lament that when they forbid their teen. Often by simply setting the rules about communicating their whereabouts, the effects of any peer group can be limited. However, if a particular peer group is negatively impacting the
Professor Williams
English 1301
October 28, 2012
Causes and Effects of Peer Pressure
Peer pressure has a much greater effect on adolescent teens than any other factor. Think about it, teens spend more of their waking hours with peers than family members. The interaction is direct, and much more powerful than the influence of teachers and other authority figures. Peer pressure tends to have more of an effect on children with low self-esteem. If a child feels compelled to fit in, the teen may do things that go against his/her beliefs simply to be part of the group.
Peer pressure can lead to experimentation with drugs and alcohol, sex, skipping school, and various high risk behaviors. If there is a sudden change in child’s appearance, clothing, and attitude, especially if accompanied by secretive behavior, he or she may be succumbing to the influences of peers. Especially if there is a sudden change in the friends who make up their core peer group. An unexplained change in the type of friends the child associates with would indicate that the child is vulnerable to new influences that may not be positive.
How can parents who spend far less time with their children than do their peers, have an influence on their teens? Parents need to set clear expectations for behavior, establish rules about communicating where and with whom their teenagers are spending their time, and should pre-set consequences for lying about activities or where they are going. By communicating expectations, the adolescent cannot claim they “did not know” what is expected of them.
One of the most difficult issues can be when a teen decides to hang out with the “wrong crowd”. Parents often find it is difficult to control such behavior. They will lament that when they forbid their teen. Often by simply setting the rules about communicating their whereabouts, the effects of any peer group can be limited. However, if a particular peer group is negatively impacting the
Cited: Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly and Reed Larson. Being Adolescent: Conflict and Growth in the Teenage Years. Basic Books, Inc. 1984. New York Juvonen, Jaana and Kathryn R. Wentzel. Social Motivation: Understanding Children 's School Adjustment. Cambridge University Press. 1996. Cambridge Vega, William A. and Andres G. Gil. Drug Use and Ethnicity in Early Adolescence. Plenum Press. 1998. New York