Peer pressure can be defined as a happening in which individuals are influenced by the lifestyles and conducts of their peers or the persistent individual’s desire to be seen as belonging to a certain societal group. As such, peer pressure in teenage in the phenomenon whereby teens disconnect from their parents and look for friends in their age bracket with whom they share some common aspects or they emulate the behaviors of one another (Havelin 5). This is based on the fact that life keeps on changing and we at all the times wish to change our lives by doing what others do. This paper evaluates some effects of peer pressure especially amongst teenagers.
Things like thoughts, behaviors, television, music, and fashion of the masses have significant impact in the manner in which people live in the society. Peer pressure amongst teenage is widespread in areas like schools where they come in contact. Although, the peer pressure may seem to be having some positive impacts on the society, in most occasions it has negative impacts. Some of the negative peer pressure impacts comprise of loss of identity, taking part in unpleasing behaviors, and increase in the levels of crime and violence as a result of bad company.
In many incidences, individuals are free to choose the type of life they wish to lead; similarly, there are certain values and customs held by different societies and expect them to be practiced by different individuals in the given society. Some of the behaviors not welcomed in most societies comprise of partying, smoking, and drug abuse among others, and these are some of the areas in which most young people have failed to meet the expectations of the society as a result of peer pressure (Havelin 39). However, it is noteworthy that though some teens are unable to resist pressure from their peers, some of them have their own principles and have the capability of resisting the pressure.
Teenage peer pressure may as well result to identity loss amongst the affected persons. This implies killing of the individuality of these young people together with a group of people who simply resembles one another. This is because the majority of teenagers have the perception that the only way of been noticed, at different levels of the society is by identifying to a certain group. Having extreme pressure from a peer may compel a person to do what the group thinks is right. Consequently, they end up emulating and adopting various aspects of the group like dressing, fashion taste, music, hair style and other life aspects which make them to lose their own taste of life, their original identity and conform to that of the group.
Teenage peer pressure also influences the violence. The young ones end up losing the purpose and meaning of life because of imitating the lifestyle which the majority practices (James, Hart & Tonya 140). For example, for teens identifying with a bad peer group, definitely they end up attaining bad conducts. As a result, they start engaging in criminal activities like drug dealing and robbery which lead to insecurity in society.
In conclusion, peer pressure among teens is experienced when the thoughts and lifestyles of their peers influence them. Peer pressure among teens has numerous effects which comprise of engaging in behaviors that the society prohibits like using of drugs, and smoking among others. Peer pressure among teenage as well results to personal identity lose and conformity to group identity. This essay has evaluated some of the impacts of peer pressure among teens.
Works Cited
Jaccard, James; Blanton, Hart; and Dodge, Tonya, ‘Peer influences on risk behavior: An analysis of the effects of a close friend, Development psychology, 41.1 (2005): 135-147.
Kate, Havelin, ‘Peer Pressure: How can I say no? (Perspectives on relationships) Capstone Press (2000).
