Peer Pressure

HOW CAN PEER PRESSURE IMPACT NEGATIVELY ON TEENAGERS?

Candidates Name: Kadian Chambers
Candidates Form: 11:3
Candidates School: Excelsior High
Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Smith

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

REASONS FOR SELECTING TOPIC

METHOD OF INVESTIGATION

INSTRUMENT USED TO COLLECT DATA

PROCEDURES FOR DATA COLLECTION

PRESENTATION OF DATA

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

FINDINGS

RECOMMENDATIONS

BIB LIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

I have been a student of the Excelsior High School for four (4) to five (5) years now and I have noticed that teachers and parents are complaining about there child(ren) academic performances are being decreased due to peer pressure. This School Based Assignment consists of one of the many issues that is occurring within the Excelsior High School. Along with how its affecting students and a few suggestions on how this matter can be solved.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

How does peer pressure affects teenager’s academic performance?

REASONS FOR SELECTING TOPIC

The reason I selected this topic was because I have noticed that adolescence nowadays are under the influence of their peers. Not only that but there have been numerous occasions where parents and teachers are complaining that some adolescence academic performance level has decreased due to the high impact of their peer groups.

METHOD OF INVESTIGATION

In order to collect data from the survey, I have decided to use printed questionnaires.
Questionnaires, as a tool of collecting data have a number of advantages: 1. It requires time to be completed. 2. It can be done at the confidence of the persons required to have it completed. 3. It guarantees total confidentiality since respondents are not allowed to attach their names.

INSTRUMENTS USED TO COLLECT DATA

Dear Students,

This is a survey being carried out at the Excelsior High School to determine the amount of students that peer pressure affected negatively.

Your advised to answer to the following questions truthfully. Since you do not write your name anywhere, no one would ever know that you were the one that had answered the questions. Please be reminded that this is not a test so there are no wrong or right answers . All persons who are answering the questions are required to tick the answer to their choice.

Thank you,

Yours truly,

QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Sex Male ( ) Female ( ) 2. Age 11-13 ( ) 14-16 ( ) 17-19 ( ) 20-22 ( ) 3. Family Background Single Parent ( ) Nuclear ( ) Extended ( ) Sibling ( ) 4. Are you apart of a peer group? Yes ( ) No ( ) 5. Do you consider your peer group to be of good or bad influence? Good ( ) Bad ( ) 6. Is your participation in a peer group affecting your academic performance? Yes ( ) No ( ) 7. What are some of the causes of peer pressure?
Family ( )
Friends ( )
Financial Needs ( )
Others

8. Are your teachers or parents complaining about the peers you socialize with? Yes ( ) No ( ) 9. Does your peers, pressure you to do negative?
Stealing ( ) Fighting ( ) Lying ( ) Fornicate ( )

10. Was it your decision to become apart of a peer group? Why?

11. When you meet with your peers, what are some of the major discussions?

12. What are some of the influences being faced because of peer pressure?
Smoking ( ) Alcohol ( ) Sex ( ) All of the above ( )

13. Would you suggest that teenagers are to be apart of a peer group? Yes ( ) No ( )

14. If the answer to question 13 is ‘yes’, why did you suggest this?
It’s good for them to socialize ( )
It will have a positive impact on them ( )
Other

15. How does peer pressure affects your self esteem?
Does it let you feel unwanted ( )
Do you feel unattractive ( )
Are you doubtful ( )
Other

PROCEDURES FOR DATA COLLECTION

A total of 20 questionnaires were prepared and was distributed to the students of the Excelsior High School. It was expected that at least 16 of these would return.

In order to investigate how students academic performances are being decreased due to peer pressure, I have chosen random sampling.

I have chosen random sampling because these samples were available at the time when the questionnaires were distributed.

PRESENTATION OF DATA

A total number of 20 questionnaires were distributed to the students of the Excelsior High School. Out of the 20, 20 were returned. Of these 20, 10 were males and 10 were females.

RECOMMENDATIONS

After carefully analyzing the findings of the research, my recommendations are as follows:

* The school board could host a program that educates the students about the negative and positive impacts of peer groups.

* Students could visit the guidance counselor on a regular base to be more informed and aware about the different types of peer groups.

* Parents could monitor their children by getting to know the type of friends they keep and checking their books more regularly to see how they are performing at school.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

* CXC: New Edition: Social Studies Essentials

* http://www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com

* www.notesmaster.com

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

CHART 1: LINE GRAPH SHOWING THE PERCENTAGES OF INFLUENCES FACED BY STUDENTS BECAUSE OF PEER PRESSURE

In chart 1, 50% of the respondents indicate that they are being pressured to have sex, 5% said smoking, 35% said alcohol, while the remaining 10% admit to doing all of the above.

CHART 2: BAR GRAPH SHOWING THE PERCENTAGES OF RESPONDENTS INDICATING THAT THEIR PARENTS OR TEACHERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PEER GROUPS THEY SOCIALIZE WITH

In chart 2, 75% of the respondents stated that their parents or teachers complained about the group they socialize with and the remaining 25% stated no.

TABLE 1: SHOWING THE PERCENTAGES OF RESPONDENTS THAT STATED THAT THEY ARE BEING PRESSURED BY THEIR PEERS TO DO NEGATIVE

Negative | No. of students | Percentages | Stealing | 4 | 20% | Fighting | 4 | 20% | Lying | 5 | 25% | Fornicate | 7 | 35% | Total | 20 | 100% |

Within the school, 20% or 4 of the respondents stated that they are being pressured by their peers to steal, 20% or 4 stated for fighting, 25% or 5 for lying and the remaining 35% or 7 stated they fornicated.

INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Within Excelsior High School, the male to female ratio stands at 10:10, with 10 males and 10 females answering the questionnaires. These persons fell between the ages of 14-16 years, which accounted for 40% of the respondents.

25% of the respondents within the school stated that their parents or teachers did complain about the peer groups they socialized with. This was evident in 10% that admit to doing all of the above faced because of the influences per pressure.

The 20% of respondents that stated that they are pressured to do negative (such as fighting) by their peer groups coincides with the 5% that stated they are smoking.

FINDINGS

The research revealed that:

* That students within the Excelsior High School are being affected because of the peer groups they are in.

* That teachers or parents are complaining about the type of peer group they are socializing with.

* That being in peer groups has a high impact on teenagers.