Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Peer Pressure

Good Essays
765 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Peer Pressure
The Harmful Effects of Peer Pressure Peer pressure is found and seen every where from real life such as the school hallways or campus to movies, TV, and books. All teenagers experience peer pressure throughout their years as being a teen and often even after. The pressure caused by peers can be many different things including underage drinking, smoking, sexual intercourse and who they hang out with. "Internationally, as well as here in the UK, the concept of 'peer pressure ' is widely used in analyzing the factors influencing young people 's experiences of sex and pregnancy - illustrated, for instance, by the following strapling from a recent English government-funded teenage pregnancy national media campaign 'Should I let my friends control my sex life?" (Maxwell 305). To me this is a ridiculous question and shows just how much children are affected by their peers. Sex is something that should be taken seriously and not been done because everyone else is doing it. "Early substance use and negative peer pressure - measure through self-report as weather young people felt pressure by friends to taunt from school or engaged in other delinquent activities were the processes through which risk proneness and poor self regulation led to risky sexual behavior." (Maxwell 310) Being under the influence of drugs and alcohol changes the perception of one’s mind and makes it hard to be ones true self. "One in 10 messages analyzed involved teens seeking advice from their peers on how to take illegal drugs "safely" and without getting caught." (Elizaga 295) Teens and drugs are a big deal. Every year more and more teens are using drugs at younger and younger ages. This is often do to the peer pressure that they face and their willingness to do anything to look cool. "The idea that peer pressure is crucial element in young people 's introduction to drugs is widespread among health professionals and policy makers." (Mcintosh 280) This is an unhealthy trend that many teens need to realize. It is often hard to say no to others. "One of the main reasons why young people use drugs is the influence of peer pressure, the presumption being that adolescents are pressurized into taking drugs by their drug-using friends." (Mcintosh 285) "The researchers report that youths possessing the peer role model asset were nearly 2.5 times more likely to report non use of alcohol, compared with youths lacking this asset." (Oman 4). We all know that saying no is hard but children and especially teens need to realize how important it is. By taking a stand things can turn out very differently for ones future. "A harrowing example of how adolescents become involved with hostile peers is illustrated by the movie Thirteen (Hardwicke & Reed, 2003). The film vividly details how Tracy, a smart, well-behaved seventh grade student, is befriended and led astray by Evie, her precocious new best friend. The movie opens with a shocking scene of the two girls, who are high on drugs, smacking each other 's face and laughing. In order to maintain the relationship, the previously sweet, sensitive Tracy is bullied into stealing, shoplifting, taking drugs, self-mutilation, and sexual experimentation. It is as though Tracy is being initiated into the sorority from hell. The competition between girls like these two and their friends makes it seems as though the bond that unites them is hate, not love. The girls terrorize each other with stares, put-downs, rebukes, rumors, and rejections. The film makes viewers uncomfortable but needs to be seen in order to help us understand these youngsters." (Ann 249) Work Cited Ann Ruth Turkel. "Sugar and Spice and Puppy Dogs ' Tails: The Psychodynamics of Bullying. " Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry 35.2 (2007): 243-58. Elizaga, Ronald, and Keith Markman.. "Peers and Performance: How In-Group and Out-Group Comparisons Moderate Stereotype Threat Effects." Current Psychology 27.4 (Dec. 2008): 290-300. Hampton, Mary Rucklos, et al. "INFLUENCE OF TEENS ' PERCEPTIONS OF PARENTAL DISAPPROVAL AND PEER BEHAVIOUR ON THEIR INITIATION OF SEXUAL INTERCOURSE." Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality 14.3/4 (Sep. 2005): 105-121.
Maxwell, Claire, and Elaine Chase.. "Peer pressure - beyond rhetoric to reality." Sex Education 8.3 (Aug. 2008): 303-314. McIntosh, J., F. MacDonald, and N. McKeganey. "Why do children experiment with illegal drugs? The declining role of peer pressure with increasing age." Addiction Research & Theory 14.3 (June 2006): 275-287. Mean Girls Dir Mark Waters Perf. Lindsay Lohan. Paramount Pictures, 2004 Thriteen Dir. Catherine Hardwicke Perf. Nikki Reed. Paramount Pictures,

Cited: Ann Ruth Turkel. "Sugar and Spice and Puppy Dogs ' Tails: The Psychodynamics of Bullying. " Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry 35.2 (2007): 243-58. Elizaga, Ronald, and Keith Markman.. "Peers and Performance: How In-Group and Out-Group Comparisons Moderate Stereotype Threat Effects." Current Psychology 27.4 (Dec. 2008): 290-300. Hampton, Mary Rucklos, et al. "INFLUENCE OF TEENS ' PERCEPTIONS OF PARENTAL DISAPPROVAL AND PEER BEHAVIOUR ON THEIR INITIATION OF SEXUAL INTERCOURSE." Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality 14.3/4 (Sep. 2005): 105-121. Maxwell, Claire, and Elaine Chase.. "Peer pressure - beyond rhetoric to reality." Sex Education 8.3 (Aug. 2008): 303-314. McIntosh, J., F. MacDonald, and N. McKeganey. "Why do children experiment with illegal drugs? The declining role of peer pressure with increasing age." Addiction Research & Theory 14.3 (June 2006): 275-287. Mean Girls Dir Mark Waters Perf. Lindsay Lohan. Paramount Pictures, 2004 Thriteen Dir. Catherine Hardwicke Perf. Nikki Reed. Paramount Pictures,

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    48 Shades of Brown

    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Teenagers have been pressured into doing things they don’t want to do, Dan gives us an example of teenagers giving into peer pressure, forced to say that he was a student studying law at University. Teens who are being pressured by their peers think that they will become more popular if they do the [pic] ‘cool’ thing even if it can cause themselves harm. Teenagers these days are dealing with peer pressure every day, from mates telling them to lie to their friends and family, drinking when they are underage and/or don’t want too.…

    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Young People At Risk

    • 1718 Words
    • 7 Pages

    It was also found that popular films can portray teen smoking, drinking and drug taking as ‘cool’ and positive, which has been found to influence young people to participate in such behaviours as they see no wrong in it (Stern and Morr, 2013). Mollborn and Sennott (2015) found that some peer groups accept sex in teenage years as the norm, and may go as far as seeing contraception as negative as it makes it less risky. It has been found that some people participate in unprotected sex as they get caught up in the moment and are spontaneous, without thinking of the risks they are taking and the long-term consequences that could come from it (Bell and Bell, 1993; Holland et al, 1998). In addition to this, it was found in a study that some young people believe that carrying condoms may make them seem promiscuous, so they do not (Holland et al, 1998). They may also think that by using oral contraceptives such as the pill, they are protected from sexually transmitted infections, when they are not (Garside et al, 2001). There are a number of theories that may explain why young people participate in risk taking behaviour. Akers’ Social Learning Theory (1985) provides one explanation, as it looks at the idea that young people learn risk taking behaviour from different influences, and are not…

    • 1718 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Studies show that by the age of twenty, 75 percent of Americans have lost their virginity. In many high schools - and an increasing number of junior highs- virginity is regarded as an embarrassing vestige of childhood, to be disposed of as quickly as possible. (Garity 768-771). Peer pressure is something everyone has to deal with at some point in their life. It can influence the way you dress, the music you listen to, what clubs you join, and even your choices regarding sex. “The American Public Health Association,” reports Psychology Today, “did a study and found that one of the biggest reasons that teenagers have sex is because they think their peers are also having sex”. (Family). Many girls, young and old, are pressured by peers. Girls think because everyone else is doing it, they should do it too. “[A factor] I think, is that very little in our culture encourages independent thinking” says Steve Lopez. (776-778) High school girls are very prone to succumbing to peer pressure. They want to be liked, they want to…

    • 1116 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The theme of the article “Teens are Hardwired for Risky Behavior” was that the efforts of teaching teens about the dangers of unprotected sex, drug, alcohol use, smoking, etc. don’t work. They can teach kids all they want about the dangers and try to scare them but the reality is that in the spur of the moment most teens will be likely to give into peer pressure. Most of the time, teens wouldn’t do risky business if they were alone. When a teen is doing risky business it’s usually because there are a lot of people there. The part of the brain that is in charge of decision-making doesn’t fully mature until adulthood. This explains why teens are so easy to be convinced by peers. When someone is in the moment its hard to make wise decisions so it is always a good idea to have your mind set on what type of person you want to be and what you want to do.…

    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Peer Pressure

    • 808 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Peer pressure these days has had major effects on our children and young adults. Decisions are being made that are unheard of to parents and teachers. Don’t think that the adolescence making these choices isn’t struggling to grasp hold of the concepts of what they are doing. Unknowingly, our generation is making choices that will effect the rest of their lives. Whether or not it’s the way we dress or a decision in unprotected sex, it’s still a decision made based on the approval of our peers. Who are we now a days. If we are just living to be who are friends want us to be, we lose individualism. Peer pressure has effected, the music listened to, and the clothes wore, sexual activity, drugs, skipping school, reckless driving and many other behaviors, causing the loss of individualism in this generation.…

    • 808 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    All adolescents, teens, and young adults have one thing in common, that one thing is, and you guessed it, peer pressure. Peer Pressure is the influence exerted by a peer group to change his or her attitudes, morals, or actions in order to fit in or please others. This one little thing has a broad affect on everyone, but mostly youth. (Ages nine through twenty-three)Statistics show that approximately fifty percent of youth ages twelve through seventeen feel pressured in sex according to the Kaiser Foundation. The Alan Guttamatche Institute reports four million new sexually transmitted diseases infect teen each year.…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    peer pressure

    • 300 Words
    • 1 Page

    since the urge to belong to a peer group is all about feeling included and accepted there is also this natural tendency to behave and become like the other members of the peer group. therefore ,when members of a peer group believe in doing well in school and doing their regular lessons with care you will find yourself also following suit...…

    • 300 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Peer Pressure

    • 535 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Peer pressure is a very real issue that affects many of the teenagers of the world today. Society offers many misleading advertisements that seem to lead teens in all the wrong directions. If the youth of today are more educated, the future of our world will be a lot better off (Dobson). There are all sorts of pressures that children face today,. Drinking, smoking, staying out past curfew, having sex when you are not ready- whatever it may be, sometimes others put the pressure on you to participate in something you might not want to do (Hayes). Peer pressure is stress of strain you feel from friends and school mates to act, behave, think and look a certain way. This kind of pressure can cover everything from fashion through sex and dating (Goldsmith). If you are very worried about peer pressure it is important to find someone who you can talk to. Two to three years from now, we will now be starting to determine our own careers. We will start to face the real world, the world after a long period of time studying our chosen profession. My term paper will be about careers. It will tackle the definition of career, its stages, the manner of planning it and the stress on the work itself. My perceptions and ideas about it will be shared, upon reading our given handouts and with the help of a little research. I think this term paper would be an effective way for us students to have a background about careers because sooner or later, we will be experiencing it.…

    • 535 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Peer Pressure

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages

    A certain degree of social influence is useful - perhaps even vital - to the functioning of society. Concepts like shame are powerful deterrents against people just doing whatever the hell they felt like, regardless of the harm done to other people or harm done to their relationships with other people.…

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Effect of Peers

    • 824 Words
    • 4 Pages

    What do you think of those mysterious and seemingly dreaded forces in our society – teenage peer groups and pressure? Do you conjure up nightmare images of gangs, drugs, sex and alcohol? If so, you are not alone. The public has a tendency to associate teen peer group influence as only negative.…

    • 824 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Peer Pressure

    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages

    I remember back in elementary school when I, like any other youngster, was the biggest advocate for the D.A.R.E. program and saying no to drugs. “Drugs are bad” or “I won’t every do drugs” is something that was instilled in every child’s mind from day one. At that point, I would have never imagined myself getting hammered at a party, smoking weed, or popping a pill other than aspirin. It’s absolutely amazing how peer pressure was almost non-existent when I was a kid, but as I grew up I started to realize that I’m constantly surrounded by it every single day. Instead of staying true to my youth, I eventually ended up giving in to the inevitable.…

    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Peer Pressure

    • 498 Words
    • 2 Pages

    No one is superior than other except piety and good actions.(Prophet P.B.U.H)Racism and equality are two opposite, but very important things that really affects the world peace.To being a racist and not given rights to others what they deserve is a worst thing that hides all qualities of a person.Even though, that is what Canada did to Chinese and I think that Canadian government should apologize to Chinese Canadians the way their ancestors were treated. Canadians made restrictions in econonmic and social matters on chinese inhabitants and also limit their access and oppertunities in compared to that what they substantially had by themselves.…

    • 498 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Peer Pressure

    • 618 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Peer PressureShooting an Elephant, by George Orwell, was a very emotional and graphic story that opens the eyes of many people. Beginning the story with some background information, Orwell describes how difficult it is being a white man in Lower Burma, and discusses how much he is hated and made fun of by the people. He is a police officer, which gives people even more of a reason to hate him. After all the background information he starts getting into the heart of the story, shooting the elephant. A tame elephant escaped and was causing disaster in the town and squashed a man to death. Orwell was called to do something about this elephant, and he went, but his plans changed when the people pressured him into something he would always regret. Men told him where the elephant was, down in a paddy field, he got an elephant rifle (for protection), and marched down to the field with a gathering crowd of over two thousand Burmans. The elephant was done causing a scene and was calmed down, but Orwell still felt pressured by the people to shoot the elephant. He ended up shooting it, just so he would not be labeled as the white fool. Orwell let the public influence his actions, therefore, as a result he had to live with the unwanted regret due to the decision he made under peer pressure.…

    • 618 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Frustrations.

    • 358 Words
    • 2 Pages

    One of the many other frustrations teens undergo is peer pressure. Teens are constantly worried about their peers’ opinions of them, hence in order to try and fit in, they may do things that make them feel uncomfortable. This may cause them to feel the frustrated and stressed while doing these actions to fit in. They are impressionable and jump the bandwagon. They may do what everyone else are doing but not actually knowing the ultimate reason of doing so. Results show that 75% of youth, tested in a survey done on teenagers, are influenced by peer pressure. From this results, we can see that majority of the teenagers are susceptible to peer pressure. In order to be popular, the 3 in 4 teens will be pressured…

    • 358 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Teenage Pregnancy speech

    • 1240 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Attention Getter: In today’s society, teens are faced with many pressures. The effect of these pressures put on them is the inability to make good decisions when it comes to certain situations. Two of the most common situations that teens find themselves pressured into have to do with alcohol and sex when they are not ready. And more often than not, the two are related.…

    • 1240 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays