DEBATE AGAINST PEER PRESSURE

• What is “peer pressure?”
– Influence that people of similar age or status place on other to behave in a certain way
• 2 types of peer pressure:-
• Positive peer pressure: influence from peers to behave in a responsible way
• Negative peer pressure: influence from peers to behave in a way that is NOT responsible.
Peers who try to force you to make wrong decisions often just want support for their wrong actions!!!!!!!!
They don’t care about your experience of feelings you have as the result of the negative outcomes.
Explanation
An explanation of how the peer pressure process works, called "the identity shift effect", is introduced by social psychologist, Wendy Treynor’s. According to Treynor's original "identity shift effect" hypothesis, the peer pressure process works in the following way: One's state of harmony is disrupted when faced with the threat of external conflict for failing to conform to a group standard. Thus, one conforms to the group standard, but as soon as one does, eliminating this external conflict, internal conflict is introduced (because one has violated one's own standards). To rid oneself of this internal conflict (self-rejection), an "identity shift" is undertaken, where one adopts the group's standards as one's own, thereby eliminating internal conflict (in addition to the formerly eliminated external conflict), returning one once again to a state of harmony. Even though the peer pressure process begins and ends with one in a (conflict-less) state of harmony, as a result of conflict and the conflict resolution process, one leaves with a new identity—a new set of internalized standards.
Resistance Skills: A skill that helps a person says “NO” to an action or to leave a situation
• Say NO with self-confidence
• Give reasons for saying NO
• Broken-record technique
• Nonverbal behaviors match verbal behavior
• Avoid situations in which there is negative pressure
• Avoid people whom make wrong decisions
• Resist pressure to engage in illegal behavior
• Influence others to make responsible choices.
• Broken record technique: ways to strengthen a “no” response by repeating the same response several times
• Nonverbal behavior: the use of actions to express emotions and thoughts.

• Self-confidence:
• the belief in oneself
– You believe in your ideas, feelings, and decisions
• Assertive behavior: the honest expression of ideas, feelings, and decisions without worrying or feeling threatened
– Show others you are in control of yourself,
– You clearly state your thoughts or feelings
– you don’t back down on your feelings or thoughts
• Passive behavior: holding back of ideas, feelings, and decisions.
– Don’t stand up for themselves
– Look away when sharing feelings/ making decisions
– Lack self confidence
• Aggressive behavior: use of words or actions that are disrespectful toward others
– Monopolize conversations
– Name calling, sarcastic remarks
– Threaten others due to lack of their own self-confidence
3 Steps to be Self-Confident and Assertive
• Answer 6 questions & evaluate consequences of your decisions.
– Promote health
– Protect safety
– Follow laws
– Show respect for myself and others
– Follow guidelines of my parents / responsible adults
– Demonstrate good character
• Imagine a shield of protection in front of you when peers pressure you to make wrong decisions
• When you doubt yourself, talk with a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult.
10 outcomes of giving in to negative peer pressure
• Harm health
• Threaten your safety
• Break laws
• Disrespect to yourself and others
• Disregard guidelines
• Shows poor character
• Feeling disappointed in yourself
• Feel resentment toward peers
• Hurt self-confidence
• Feel guilty & ashamed

5 Actions if you have given in to negative peer pressure
• Take responsibility for any decisions, actions, or judgments that result
– Honesty and don’t blame others
• Consider ways to deal with the negative outcomes
– Restitution – making good for loss or damage
– You must make things right
• Examine reasons why you gave in to the negative pressure
– Was anything specific?
• Make a plan on how to handle similar future situations
– Learn from your mistakes
– Better prepared for the future
• Ask responsible adult to help you review situations in which you gave in to negative peer pressure. Examples of Negative Peer Pressure Well The Definition of peer pressure is influencing another person’s decision By Pressuring to do something they otherwise wouldn’t do or pressuring to do something they didn’t have the courage to do. Peer pressure can be Negative and Positive. Here Are Some Examples of Negative and Positive Peer pressure, its consequences and the effects it can have on Teenagers.
Negative Peer Pressure
Underage Drinking – The consequences to underage drinking is getting arrested, having social problems, Long Term Effects on your brain, And Physical problems because drinking alcohol can cause you to get sick such as Alcohol Poisoning and potentially dying from that.
Underage Smoking – The consequences to underage Smoking is developing Heart Disease, leukemia, and the most important one is the development of Lung Cancer.
Pressure to Steal – The consequences to Stealing is Of course going to jail. And also Stealing can change how people value you as a person. It can give people negative thoughts about you. And also this can go on your Permanent Record.
Pressure to Fight/ Physically Harming Someone – The consequences to Fighting or Physically Harming someone is this could lead to going to jail for assault, or Killing someone which could mean going jail for a very long time. And if you are pressured to fight someone at school that could lead to getting suspended.

Negative Effects

Decisions Go Wrong: When you do not like a particular idea or when you have no inclination towards a particular field, it is obvious that you won't like to go by it. For sure, you won't like to go that way. But it is your peer group, which may compel you on doing something you dislike. It's obvious that you won't be happy doing what you do. And you won't succeed. Succumbing to peer pressure in taking important decisions of your life can only land you in sorrow. For example, taking up a field or choosing a career just because your friends did so; without much thought to where your interest lies, can only make you unhappy.

Bad Habits are Cultivated: Peer pressure forces you to do things you are not comfortable doing. It can even lead you to adopt a certain kind of lifestyle, even if you don't really want to. You may not like partying every weekend, you may not be smoking. But peer pressure is powerful. It can turn you from an always-at-home boy/girl to a complete party animal. It can turn you from a total non-smoker to a chain-smoker. There are so many teenagers who take to drinking against their will, just because their peers force them to. In many cases, peer pressure has been the culprit in creating drug addicts. At that vulnerable age, teenagers do not understand that they are actually ruining their life by giving in to pressure from peers.

Identity is Lost: Peer pressure can lead to loss of individuality. Extreme peer pressure may lead you to follow what your peers feel right. Their pressure may compel you to go by everything they think is right. You follow them blindly; you adopt their tastes of fashion, clothing, hair, music and living at large. Peer pressure can actually lead you to lose your own taste. You feel forced to like what they like and do what they do. Peer pressure is the tendency to join the bandwagon; you lose your originality of thought and conduct. You forget the way you wanted to live. You lose your identity.

Teenage Peer Pressure

now let us discuss about teenage peer pressure. They are one of the worst hit by peer pressure. It's because they are the most vulnerable and the most affected. During the teenage years, one is exposed to the world outside. There are many changes taking place at the physical and psychological level. One starts feeling he has grown up, he feels he needs to make choices, take important decisions and looking at the plethora of options available, one is confused. It's during these years that one's ideals are formed. These years shape an individual and his life. He feels independent, free and discovers a new 'himself'.

Teenage years are the educative years of one's life. It's the phase they do their high school, go for higher education, and take up degree courses. They busy carving a career for themselves. They spend most of their time among those of their age - their friends, peers. Teenage is the most youthful period of life. At that age, they are young, enthusiastic, and ready to take life head on and eager to take in every little thing life brings their way. They enjoy the company of others their age, as full of energy as they are. But this age is also the most dangerous. They are susceptible; anything can influence them and make them change, for better or worse - the line between the two blurs for a brief period. It's not the kids to blame, it's their age.

Teenagers are the most likely to fall prey to peer pressure. So, their parents and teachers should save them from succumbing to it. It's natural for a teenaged kid to feel like imitating his friend. It's natural for him to feel like smoking just because his friends do or feel like drinking because his peers do. It's not abnormal for teenaged kids to adopt all that is considered hip and cool without a second thought. They don't do it deliberately. No. They just can't distinguish between the good and the bad. They need to be taught the difference. They need to be shielded from negative peer pressure. And the solution is not in isolating them from peers. It's in teaching them to make good choices in life.

A strong support from family, an ability to differentiate between the right and the wrong and the skill to choose friends from peers is the key to greet the positive effects of peer pressure and keep the negative ones at bay.

THANK You