Peer Pressure – Double-Edged Sword

” It takes courage to grow and become who really are “

We need that courage because we easily tend to get the characteristics of the group of people with whom we spend our substantial time. This is why people try to spend more time with persons who are already on the path which they need. But the group of friends are not formed on such criteria. So the effects of a peer may or may not be favourable. Let’s have a clear impression on the so-called peer pressure.

 

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What’s peer pressure

The phrase itself interprets its essence. The pressure or effect caused by one’s social group (i.e.) peer. This can be an open influence or indirect impact on you. On the other hand, it prevails among teenagers dominantly and might have a positive effect or negative impact on them. Which we will see after having a  good understanding of the peer pressure with the illustration of study on it.

 

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Study on peer pressure

“There are a couple of fundamental characteristics that appear to differentiate lads from grown-ups in their judgment making,” explains Laurence Steinberg, an experimenter at Temple University. Firstly in the introductory of puberty, they are tempted to the proper appreciation for their risks and are barely conscious of threats. Next, in general, they are yet understanding to regulate their preferences, to think forward, and to withstand burden from friends.” These abilities evolve slowly, as a teen’s skill to regulate his or her attitude gives reasonable throughout puberty.

Dr B. J. Casey from the Weill Medical College of Cornell University conveys that youths are extremely sharp and precise in making judgements and conclusions on their own and in circumstances where they get the duration to guess. Still, when they have to make quick decisions in a difficult situation their opinions are always impacted by exterior circumstances, such as peers. In research sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), youngsters are asked to play a virtual game first by themselves and then with their buddies glancing. The outcome was that the number of threats took in the game was doubled when their buddies were seeing them as compared to the game played isolated. This clearly showed that when we are surrounded by our friends or peer group we tend to have uncertainty.

 

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 Vulnerable teenage

The period of peoples lives where they experience a greater challenge is this teenage. This is because the brain goes through notable neural growth and synaptic pruning. During the synaptic pruning, the brain eliminates unwanted synapses which generate fluctuations between several brain areas. This causes teenagers to oscillate in their decisions. It is also noted that teenagers seem to be vulnerable to crimes, violence, sexual activity, and drugs. On the contrary, teens also tend to search for their self and the meaning of their life. Let’s see the effects caused by peer pressure.

 

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Unfavourable impacts

When our surrounding admires one stuff we easily get tempted to try it. What are the unpleasant habits teens get in because of peer pressure are,

1) seductive:

Teens often get trapped in sexual activities. They tend to watch pornography and talk about it because that is how they feel involved in the social group. At adolescence, peer talks will be really impacting on one’s self, that’s because we always want to be respected or noted in our group.

2) Risks taking:

It can be seen as a common problem with teenagers that they tend to take more risks. This is not only the involvement of hormone changes but also peer pressure. It may look irrelevant but when you get to realise that a teen takes risks only because they want the peer group to talk about them. The best illustration for this is driving ways of teenagers and the number of accidents caused.

3) Drugs addiction:

When 3 out of 5 members in a group develop the habit of smoking and alcohol consumption. The peer pressure will pull the other two into this habit. Probably one will join them soon. But it is obvious that most of the time one person will be an exemption. When a person who smokes gives the reason why he smokes that itself will trigger the other.

4) Misguided:

It is clear that previously seen effects also an example of misguidance. Besides, activities like bunking classes often and giving less importance to a career before other stuff because the others are being lethargic about it, getting used to unpleasant words and start using those, this is how teens get misguided or diverted from their own thoughts as a result of peer pressure.

 

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The encouragement provided by peer pressure

If you are going to choose the path that differs from which we have discussed above, then you require encouragement in order to adhere to it. Ironically, it is also a peer pressure which will help you to get stick to a favourable path. Some examples of the positive effect of peer pressure are,

1) Competency:

When your group members get good credits and you don’t, definitely there arises a competitive feel or urge to attain those credits. This is also can be compared with the campus placements. When a first member of your group gets placed you’ll celebrate it, when next one gets placed you will start to fear and seek the help of those two persons to guide you. But if it is the same scenario with the peer group of lethargic persons you all will be worrying altogether.

2) exploration:

When your group made fieldwork and found an opportunity to do an internship or an online course that is very useful to your career, you are left with no choice other than following them. Even if you don’t they’ll force you to do so. Because they know it’s important for you to attend it. This is how I did a virtual internship in this pandemic situation.

3) Informative:

The feel of being dumb in current affairs and general knowledge will be at peak during the time your peer group is well worst in it and you don’t. This pressure gives rise to the need or condition to learn and get yourself updated on those subjects. This even suits for a new language or skills. When your peer group started to learn the new language and use it before you, at very next day you’ll join them to learn more.

 

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Tips to make use of peer pressure in an effective way

• Be firm at you morality and don’t negotiate with it. This enables you from an addiction to harmful manners.

•  learn and teach the threats of smoking and drinks so that they may get an intent to either give it a try to stop it or not to ask you to do it.

• Initiate the talks of contemporary problems or politics or science to encourage your peer group to do it.

• Do efforts to improve your skills and tell your peer group about the skill you trying to learn, this will tempt them to perform in that area.

Don’t expect the group to change, be the change and your group follows. Enjoy the positive side of peer pressure with pleasure and neglect the other side with measures.