Term Paper on "Peer Pressure in Adolescence"

Term Paper 12 pages (3818 words) Sources: 10 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Peer Pressure in Adolescence

The Nature Of Peer Relationships

Peer relationship among adolescent has long been recognized by educationist and psychologists as an essential part of human development. There is little doubt that peer groups and the formation of peer relationships are an important and integral part of adolescent development and growth. As one researcher sates, "...the first level of the ecology or the context of human development is the micro system... [that is] family, school, peer groups as well as the specific culture within which the family identifies" (Boujlaleb).

There is also a growing consensus among educationists and psychologists that peer influence has become even more important than family and parental guidance. In this regard the Vice President of the Institute for Youth Development, Anita Smith, has stated that; "From the time children are toddlers participate in play groups, parents wonder and worry about what seems to be an ever powerful and permeating force in our children's lives - the influence of their peers" (Smith). However, the concern about the influence of peer relationships has also to take into account that these relationships are "...vital to the social, cognitive, and physical development of children..." (Burton, Ray & Mehta, 2003). The search of identity and selfhood outside the family and the parents is largely determined by the peer relationships that the adolescent makes.

The positive aspects of peer relationships and especially the way that they can influence at-risk teenagers have been identified in many studies. For example, in a study by Moroz and Jones (2002) on the effects of structured peer pressure on the social involvement of socially withdrawn children were examined. In this particular study the "... findings support the use of peers as sources of positive reinforcement for the prosocial behavior of at-risk children. (Moroz & Jones, 2002, p. 235) in other words peer relationship and peer approval in particular can be an extremely effective pro-social influence. This view is also reiterated by Wiener (2004). This study relates to the way that children and adolescent with learning disabilities (LD) are aided by peer relationships. (Wiener, 2004. p.21)

On the other hand studies also show that peer relationships can also have adverse developmental consequences. More recent research has been directed at the significance and implications of the term "peer pressure" and how this can influence teenagers. In the first instance, research has shown that adolescents themselves are aware of the possible negative consequences of peer pressure.

Until recently, it was assumed that a peer's influence was always positive, especially in children's friendships. However, it has become increasingly obvious that some peer influence is largely negative. Researchers have found that friends do encourage friends to engage in undesirable and antisocial acts (e.g., fighting, smoking, drugs). (Burton, Ray & Mehta, 2003)

While peer relationships are an important for positive aspects of human growth, peer pressure on the other hand is associated with a number of negative social and personal consequences. Peer pressure is seen by experts as being a social force that can lead to possibly destructive and anti-social consequences. This as evidenced, for example, in various interviews with adolescents who see the causative factors for school shooting in the United States to being closely linked to peer pressure. A survey of adolescents aged between thirteen and seventeen years of age in the United States found that "...40% cited peer influence when asked why they thought the Columbine High School shooting happened" (Lashbrook, 2000, p. 747).

In essence numerous studies point out the peer pressure is often the cause of deviant and inappropriate behavior among young children and adolescents. Burton et al. (2003) discuss the fact that;

While childhood is a time where fundamental skills of social competency are learned, researchers... report that children also learn roguish, inappropriate behaviors, such as stealing and vandalizing from their peers. Findings suggest that many deviant activities need the context of a peer group for their initiation as well as their maintenance. That is, children usually do not behave mischievously on their own. (Burton, Ray & Mehta, 2003. p.235)

Furthermore, the power of conformism due to peer pressure and in peer relationships has been noted in a number of studies. As Burton et al. (2003) have indicated in their study, "...children who are friends consistently have similar attitudes and engage in similar behaviors. For example, if one's friend uses drugs, they will be more likely to engage in illegal drug use themselves" (Burton, Ray & Mehta, 2003, p.235) There are also other form of negative behavior that can be initiated and facilitated by peer pressure. These include alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, premarital sex, academic cheating, stealing, vandalizing, and showing disrespect to authority figures. (Burton, Ray & Mehta, 2003) Research demonstrates "... clear evidence of the influence of intimate friends and friendship groups on sexual behavior, the tendency towards risky driving" (Burton, Ray & Mehta, 2003, p.235).

Therefore, the term peer pressure has come to mean and to be associated with a form of conformity and initiation into patterns of negative behavior that may be detrimental to long-term healthy psychological development. An essential part of peer pressure is the question of the need in the individual for identity formation and self - recognition among adolescents. Peer pressure has been defined as a form of conformity to behavior patterns dictated by others and by societal influences and the media. Another factor that should be borne in mind in the understanding of peer pressure is the parental and family relationship and how this intersects with the influence of friends and society.

2. The motivational and causative facets in peer pressure

The literature leaves little doubt about the importance of peer relationships and the extent to which peer pressure influences and even constitutes a critical determining factor in adolescent behavior. "The peer group is the center of the adolescent life-world. Adolescents spend more time with their peers than they do with their parents or alone" (Thorlindsson & Bernburg, 2006, p. 321). The realization of the significance of peer influence is also related by many researchers to the contemporary milieu and the influence of the media and popular culture. As Thorlindsson and Bernburg (2006) state:

The emergence of international, commercially driven popular youth cultures makes the peer group particularly salient for today's youth. This youth culture provides global markets that offer many commercial opportunities. These markets have been heavily targeted by the entertainment industry that promotes the culture of fun and excitement and fosters unrealistic expectations." p. 321)

At the same time this study emphasizes the fact that, "The development of a global youth culture... provided new opportunities to promote the use of alcohol and drugs among adolescents" (Thorlindsson & Bernburg, 2006, p. 321). This underscores the importance of understanding the way that the media and popular culture form part of the motivation behind conformity in instances of peer pressure.

Coupled with the above aspects are the more internal and psychological aspects of adolescent development as it relates to peer influences. As discussed, the term peer pressure has come to mean a mode of conformity to norms and patterns of behavior that may contribute to negative growth and development in adolescents. Central to peer relationships and the question of peer pressure is the need for identity formation and the developing sense of self among adolescents. There are a number of motivational factors that can add to the force and attractive power of peer pressure. These include the influence of the media; which is an aspect that will be explored in the following sections of this paper.

It is generally accepted by developmental psychologists that adolescence is that age when the young person "...must set up an identity to escape identity diffusion and confusion..." (Boujlaleb) Usually during this period of development adolescents tend to pay more attention to friends and peers than to parents in the process of developing character and personality traits that are acceptable to their age group. This increased influence of peers tends to become a dominating factor in the lives of young people at this age.

There are a wide range of variables that have to be taken into account in the overall understanding of the functioning of peer pressure. One important point noted in the literature is that the adolescent development does not take place in isolation from other factors. By this is meant that many factors interweave in this period of growth, including family influences, parental relationships, as well as the influence of friends and peers. Within this flux of relationships and demands on the adolescent, peer pressure can result from problems within the family structure.

As teens cope with the developmental tasks of adolescence, their families and peer groups present them with both opportunities and risks... The simultaneous effects of both family and peer domains on problem behaviors and the relationships between the early family environment and peer experiences that predict adolescent problem behaviors. Childhood and adolescent predictors were significantly associated with adolescent problem behaviors (Garnier & Stein, 2002. p.45) study by Garnier &… READ MORE

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