The Art of Peer Pressure
explanatory Essay
912 words
Smoking marijuana, having premarital sex, underage drinking, participating in community service, and achieving good grades are all acts that can fall under the divisions of lewd or positive behaviors that have been glorified by today’s youthful and adolescent society. Through media, social networks, and authoritative figures, today’s youth has been influenced by the classical and ageless art of peer pressure. Peer pressure as defined by (dictionary.com) is, “a social pressure by members of one’s peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values or otherwise conform in order to be accepted”. The causes and effects have a much greater effect on adolescent teens than any other demographic. The hours spent with other teens greatly increases the chances that they will be more susceptible to do things that often go against their character, and or beliefs.
Succumbing to peer pressure stems from a lack of confidence, insecurities, and the undying actions to impress their peers and authoritative figures. Adolescents often feel compelled to step outside of his or her comfort zone to measure up to the “status quo” that has been created by modern society. The norm of today has made it acceptable to imitate acts that have been deemed as “cool”. The human condition naturally wants to group together for safety and security and to feel a part of something that is bigger than an individual. Often if an individual is too different from the peer group, he or she may no longer belong and may end up exiled from future endeavors within the group. Because of incidents and exiles such as this, people within a group will try to conform to group attitudes and behaviors and risk their own personal identities For example, children learn this trait a...
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... is uniquely made and shouldn’t try to be a representation or attempt to imitate others. Have specific goals will create a sense of urgency and independence. Goals need to be focused on things that really effect the person. For example the latest trends Michael Jordan shoes are in style and fashionable but one may reevaluate their goals and how he or she will spend the money.
Peer pressure is an everyday obstacle that one must face every day. Throughout history, society begins to conform and lose its identity as individuals. Steps are meant to be taken to help preserve the originality of humans as a whole. The causes and effects have a much greater effect on adolescent teens than any other demographic. The hours spent with other teens greatly increases the chances that they will be more susceptible to do things that often go against their character, and or beliefs.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that smoking marijuana, having premarital sex, underage drinking, participating in community service, and achieving good grades are all acts that fall under lewd or positive behaviors that have been glorified by today's youth.
- Explains that peer pressure stems from a lack of confidence, insecurities, and the undying actions to impress their peers and authoritative figures. adolescents feel compelled to step outside of their comfort zone to measure up to the "status quo".
- Explains that peer pressure has a positive effect in the lives of many and can also help one reflect on his or her life.
- Explains that society's choices and ways of life give a glimpse of the world outside the comfort zone of modern civilization. being part of larger groups of peers increases the number of chances of being exposed to various human behavior.
- Explains that peer pressure is a constant test that allows one to distinguish which route of action they want to take in any given situation.
- Explains that the human condition longs to feel accepted and to be looked at as "one of the guys". being comfortable with oneself is a major step to improving the strength to ignoring peer pressure.
- Explains that peer pressure is an everyday obstacle that one must face every day. the causes and effects have a greater effect on adolescents than any other demographic.
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- Negative Essay: What Is Peer Pressure?explanatory essayAll of us have peer groups or friends that we always get along and hang out with. However, at some point of our lives, we tried and did crazy stuffs that we regret because you, yourself, know at that point it is wrong but still did it because of peer pressure. Then what is peer pressure? Peer pressure is when a person cannot decide for oneself and just depend of what their friends’ decision is. It is being very dependent on your friends that a simple decision can be hard to decide if alone. For example is when attending a class, but your friends told you that they will not attend, surely the student being “pressured” will also not attend the class.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that saying no to friends is like disobeying the parents of a teenager or even more. teenagers are easily influenced by the persons around them especially when they have gone to new environments and meet new people.
- Opines that teenagers must make their priorities right and do things that are not against the will of their parents. every parent wants their children to be successful and have a good future.
- Explains that they chose this topic because peer pressure is being the trend for teenagers of this generation. all of them want to be belong to a certain group or circle of friends that will make them look cool.
- Explains that peer pressure is when a person cannot decide for oneself and just depends on what their friends’ decision is.
- Opines that teenagers should learn to be dependent and stand-alone by having more trust to themselves and be more confident of what they can do.
1092 wordsRead More - Some Of The Effects That Peer-Pressure Have On Teensexplanatory essaySome Of The Effects That Peer-Pressure Have On Teens Teens are effected in so many ways by peer pressure is social pressure by member of ones peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or other wise conform in order to be accepted. Peer pressure effect different teens in different ways. Teen are often being pressured into using drugs, having sex, drinking and bullying, the list goes on. When the peer pressure becomes overwhelming teens suffer great effects such social anxiety, depression some even result to suicide.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that peer pressure affects teens in many ways. teens are often being pressured into using drugs, having sex, drinking and bullying.
- Explains that peer pressure is one of the biggest issuses in high school. teens are sometimes pressured into doing things they don't want to do.
- Explains that social anxiety disorder affects about seven to thirteen percent of the population. medication can relieve some symptom's of anxiety, but it also comes with side effects and safety concerns including the risk of addiction.
- Explains that social anxiety disorder is a big problem when it comes down to learning or asking questions in school because one may be afraid to ask for help in front of others.
- Explains that true clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss of anger, and also frustration interfere with everyday life for weeks or longer. it affects teens in high school or middle school hard because they might not want to attend school.
- Explains that teen females suffer with depression twice as often than men, and opines that depression can destroy the essence of a teenager's personality.
- Explains that anger is turned inward against some part of the self. depressed people have a way of making everything their own fault so no matter what happens, they can blame themselves.
- Explains that teenagers may go online to escape their problems, but excessive computer use leads to reckless behavior and out of control drinking. teens who commit suicide often suffer from depression.
- Explains that suicide is an act of a person taking their own life. suicide thoughts often result from feeling like you cant cope when you are faced with too much stress.
- Explains that theories and thoughts on suicide have changed over the years, reflecting trends in religious beliefs, pop culture, and academics, but suicide is still a misunderstood and confusing topic.
- Explains that severe depression is accompanied by a pervasive sense of suffering as well as the belief that escape from it is hopeless.
- Opines that suicide is based on a reasoned decision, often motivated by the presence of painful terminal illness from which little to no hope exists. these people aren't depressed, psychotic, or crying out for help.
- Explains that bullying is linked to suicide, as suggested by recent bullying-related suicides in the us and other countries. parents, teachers, and students learn about bullying and help students who may be at risk of committing bully related suicide.
- Opines that some schools or regions have more serious problems with bullying and suicide related to bullying due to an excessive problem at the school.
- Opines that words destroy people mentally, but also destroy lives and sometimes ends them. peer pressure can lead to many different things.
1192 wordsRead More - The Destructive Power of Peer Pressureanalytical essayPeer pressure and acts of mass blind obedience are all too common occurrences in our everyday society. A person, who under any other circumstances would never act in such a way, will commit unthinkable acts when backed by a single person or even worse, a large mass of individuals. It’s almost always destructive, and the person or persons involved usually always end up feeling regretful and bewildered by their actions. When thinking about group peer pressure, there are several other words that come to mind such as; conformity, compliance, brainwashing and social influence. Group peer pressure can make a person with the purest morals and the highest values act in ways that are more than contradictory. Group peer pressure can turn a saint into a sinner, a leader to a follower, and an individual to a tiny speck in a large and corrupt mass.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that peer pressure and acts of mass blind obedience are common occurrences in our everyday society. it's almost always destructive, and the person involved usually end up feeling regretful and bewildered by their actions.
- Analyzes how group peer pressure led george orwell to commit the inhumane killing of an elephant in lower burma.
- Analyzes how orwell felt a great deal of remorse over the killing of the elephant. the pressure he received from the crowd led him to conform to the villagers' desires.
- Analyzes how jonestown began when the reverend jim jones founded the peoples temple in california in 1965. his preaching stressed the need for racial equality and integration.
- Analyzes how jones brainwashed 900 members of the commune to commit mass suicide by drinking kool-aid spiked with cyanide.
- Explains that peer pressure is prevalent among high school students and plays a major role in teens' decisions regarding drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and sex.
- Explains that as a teenager, your child's task is to break from you and your influence and develop aseparate sense of self. friends become of utmost importance during this developmental stage.
- Argues that peer pressure plays an enormous role in everyday society. it creates huge and destructive problems and moral struggles as seen with orwell, the victims of jonestown, and the thousands of teens that fall prey to it.
1415 wordsRead More - Resisting Negative Peer Pressureexplanatory essay“Conformity is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to what individuals perceive as normal of their society or social group. This influence occurs in small groups and society as a whole, and may result from subtle unconscious influences, or direct and overt social pressure. Conformity can occur in the presence of others or when an individual is alone” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformity)
In this essay, the author
- Explains that peer pressure increases the amount of time spent with peers and the effect they provide for support. as a child moves through the educational system, peer influence increases dramatically.
- Explains harris, j. r., "where is the child's environment? a group socialization theory of development."
- Explains that conformity is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to what individuals perceive as normal of their society or social group.
- Illustrates how peer pressure can conform a person into dismissing their values and following the group.
1067 wordsRead More - What Is Peer Pressure Essayanalytical essayPeer Pressure: A Change in Perspective Alert! Alert! We 've all seen it on TV shows and in the movies: a good kid with a good home and a good family life, but questionable friends. Soon enough, the kid is going out every night smoking, doing drugs, and partying.
In this essay, the author
- Describes the milgram experiment, which was designed to better understand how nazis were able to manipulate people during world war ii.
- Argues that peer pressure perpetuates many positive qualities within a number of social situations.
- Explains that peer pressure in school can be a good thing, causing some students to work harder and strive to match their peers.
- Argues that peer pressure is beneficial in social situations, increasing compassion and support for a cause. it depends more on who the peers are than the pressure that comes from them.
1597 wordsRead More - Resisting Negative Peer Pressureexplanatory essay"Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself." --Bruce Lee "People! Come on! All of us are cutting history. Who wants to go take that stupid exam?
In this essay, the author
- Explains that as you grow older, you'll be faced with some challenging decisions. some don't have a clear right or wrong answer, while others involve serious moral questions.
- Explains that peer pressure is the influence of a social group on an individual. teenagers feel social pressure to conform to the group of peers with whom they socialize.
- Opines that peer pressure can motivate a teen to conform to healthy behavior, but sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways.
- Explains that some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or to worry that other kids may make fun of them if they don't go along with the group.
- Explains that almost everyone ends up in a sticky peer pressure situation at some point.
- Explains that peer pressure can only bite you if you let it. the secret is to assert yourself without becoming self-righteous.
794 wordsRead More - Peer Pressure Begins in Childhoodargumentative essayPeer group influences affect children much earlier than researchers have suspected, finds a new University of Maryland-led study. The researchers say it provides a wake-up call to parents and educators to look out for undue group influences, cliquishness and biases that might set in early, the researchers say.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that peer group influences affect children much earlier than researchers have suspected, according to a university of maryland-led study.
- Explains that the study appears in the may/june 2013 issue of child development, and is available online. the researchers call their work "group dynamics of childhood."
- Explains that the findings refute an older view that conflicts between group loyalty and fairness are not yet part of elementary-school aged children's everyday interactions.
- Explains that even at this early age, children show moral independence and will stand up to the group, but it is also a setting where the seeds of group prejudices can develop, if not checked.
- Explains that peer groups aid children's development by providing positive friendships, relationships, and social support. the downsides include the undue influence of a group when it imposes unfair standards, especially on outsiders.
- Explains that children may need help from adults when they face conflicts between loyalty to the group and fairness to outsiders.
- Explains that the researchers conducted extended interviews and surveys with representative groups of fourth- and eighth-graders from a mid-atlantic suburban area.
- Explains that children have a sense of fairness early on in life, but soon enough they belong to groups that sometimes want to do something unfair.
- Analyzes how children support members of their own groups that will tell the group to divide up resources equally, not unequally.
- Explains that children are more positive about a peer who advocated for equality than about doing something that reflected group identity such as the conventional act of wearing the club shirt.
- Concludes that children can apply their understanding of fairness to social groups, and recognize what makes group dynamics complex.
- Explains that killen and her team demonstrated the development of moral reasoning in young children, finding that they care about fairness, will help others solve conflicts even when they don't benefit directly, and spontaneously cooperate without rewards.
719 wordsRead More - Teen Suicide Essayexplanatory essayteens are pressured to fit in with others to be considered “popular”, but this ends up making their
In this essay, the author
- Opines that being beaten up by their bullies doesn't help them have a healthy life.
- Explains that teens are the most noticeable to see and tell that the teen is.
- Analyzes how a mother comes home from work expecting to see her son greet her, but instead she gets silence. she bursts into tears when she enters her rooms.
- Explains that suicide is one of the most common deaths among teenagers due to problems that occur in people’s lives.
- Explains that depression is one of the reasons people commit suicide, because they feel hopelessness. brain development may be another cause since teen brains are still developing in certain areas.
- Explains that one of the main causes of suicide is the pressure of other teens around them. sometimes teens are pressured to fit in with others to be considered "popular".
- Explains that the teen is being forced to be someone who they aren't, and they can’t talk about their problems, which may lead to suicidal thoughts or suicide.
- Explains that teens tend to make decisions based on what their feeling and not listening to the logical part of their brain. the vulnerability they have during these years has a bigger effect on their thoughts of suicide.
- Explains that suicide is an option for those who are being bullied because the bullies make them believe no one cares for them. they also scare the teens by telling them not to tell anyone.
- Opines that the threats are just bluffs bullies say to their victims to scare them and make them listen to them. parents don't realize the situation their children are being bullied.
- Explains that parents are another big cause of suicide when they don't listen to their children. they often ignore teens constantly because of work causing them to feel unimportant to them.
- Explains online suicide sites offer ways to deal with teens that are thinking about suicide and offer help. teens that have suicidal thoughts have some great changes in their character.
- Opines that not all teens are at risk for suicide but some have higher chances than others. parents should try to have a good relationship with their children because it will help them open up more to them.
- Explains that the teen's suicidal thoughts are caused by negative events happening in their life, and not having someone to talk to and confine in can contribute to their thoughts more. parents can help prevent the thoughts from appearing.
1153 wordsRead More - During this period of time, parental influences often decrease as peer influences increase. This shift helps establish independence from their parents. Adolescents begin to assert more control over their decisions, emotion, and actions. These peer groups often provide adolescents with information about how the world operates outside of their family. Popularity, status, prestige, and acceptance are often reinforced by peer groups (APA, 2002). The nature of friendship changes over the course of adolescence. Younger adolescents may have one primary peer group with whom they identify. This group will usually consist of peers with similar interests, attitudes, and values (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). There is a strong desire to conform and be accepted by peers. In middle adolescence, peer groups change and become more gender mixed. There is more tolerance of...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that adolescents' social development is affected by the social world. peer relationships, family, school, work, and community play a critical role in their development and culture.
- Explains that peer groups provide adolescents with information about how the world operates outside of their family. the nature of friendship changes over the course of adolescence.
- Explains that family relationships take many forms in today's society and that bonding, closeness, and attachment to family are associated with better emotional development and less high-risk activities such as drug and alcohol use.
- Explains that school is a critical setting for adolescents and is an influential part of their life. peer relationships are formed in school and adolescents develop cognitive skills.
- Explains that community factors such as socioeconomic factors, available resources, service systems, religious affiliations, the media, and the members of the neighborhood make up the community.
- Explains that developing identity is the central task of adolescents. it involves relating to others and learning to manage many emotions.
- Explains that arnett and balle-hjensen (1993) proposed several theories that may explain why adolescents engage in risky behaviors. jesser (1991) stressed that risk behaviors occur in a group context and involve peer acceptance.
- Explains that alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among adolescents in the united states, which is responsible for more than 4,300 annual deaths among youth.
- Cites the american psychological association's developing adolescents: a reference forprofessionals.
- Cites broderick, c., blewitt, and prosser, e.c. on ethnic differences in processes contributing to the self-esteem of early adolescent girls.
- Describes the key findings of the institute for social research on adolescent drug use.
- Explains leventhal, brooks-gunn, and markus, h. and nurius, p. possible selves. americanpsychologist.
- Describes the findings of the national longitudinal study on adolescent health.
1049 wordsRead More - Drugs And Alcoholism: Why Are Teenagers Involved?explanatory essayAdolescence is much like a midpoint in ones life; when a person is neither a kid nor an adult. At this period, teens have passed the age when they were called kids but are not yet qualified to be adults. Teenagers want to think like adults, behave like adults and also start to view themselves as independent beings in decision making. All this hormonal changes also come with the negativity of maturity such as drugs and alcohol. The statistics below show that the percentage of teenagers using drugs and alcohol in the last decade has increased. Why is this? The answer is that teenagers are under pressure by their peers, mass media and also the influence of parents.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that adolescents are under pressure by their peers, mass media, and the influence of parents.
- Explains that peer pressure plays a major role in the harmful behavior of teens. teens who want to fit in among their friends are most especially prone to this.
- Opines that the mass media is also responsible in an understandable way. soap operas and frivolous shows on tv contain immoral and untrue images of the world.
- Opines that though movies and soaps are rated, underage people are still able to access them. the responsibility then shifts to the parents who are meant to control their children from getting misleading information about drugs, alcoholism and lots more.
- Explains that alcohol and drug usage among teens has decreased nationwide in the past year. the media has increased information about drug abuse, alcoholism, and their long and short-term side effects.
579 wordsRead More