Positive vs.

Negative Peer Pressure in School

Peer pressure can be both bad and good; the problem is that it's not always all one way or all the other,
and it can be difficult for students to sort through messages that may seem to have conflicting
outcomes.

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Dealing with Peer Pressure in SchoolAdvice & Resources to Overcome Peer Pressure While Pursuing an
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MEET THE EXPERT

Jill WhitneyRead bio

WRITTEN BY:

Shannon LeeRead bio

WHAT'S ON THIS PAGE

Everyone knows the old saying, "If all your friends were going to jump off a bridge, would you jump
too?" It usually invokes an eye roll, but the fundamental issue is one that almost everyone faces at some
time: how to deal with peer pressure. Young people especially may struggle to cope with varying forms
and degrees of peer pressure—whether it's keeping up with middle school fashion trends or being
subjected to hazing in a fraternity house. Peer pressure can be a powerful force, but fortunately,
increased awareness has led to numerous resources to help students, parents and educators manage it
effectively. Learn more about how peer pressure is manifested—and how to face it.

Myth vs. Reality: Student Peer Pressure

What's true? What isn't? Societal issues often engender different opinions, but it's important to have a
good grasp on the facts in order to best understand a problem. Here, we highlight some of the myths
students might have heard about peer pressure, and provide a reality check to put it into perspective.

MYTH: All peer pressure is negative.

MYTH: Giving in to peer pressure means a person will fit in and feel better about themselves.

MYTH: Bad behavior can be excused by peer pressure.

MYTH: Peer pressure doesn't get really bad until the teen years.

MYTH: Bullying is a fact of life. It happens to everybody, and is normal.

MYTH: Young people should learn to work through peer pressures on their own.

MYTH: Those who don't give in to peer pressure wind up feeling lonely and outcast.

MYTH: Peer pressure comes only from friends and peers.

MYTH: There's nothing anyone can do about peer pressure.

MYTH: Peer pressure impacts a person's social life, but typically does not extend to their education.

Five Common Social Pressures Among Students

Peer pressure tends to grow in intensity as students move up through the grades; by the time they reach
high school, fitting in has become a priority - and often a source of anxiety—to many. While peer
pressure can be manifested in any number of ways, it's typically focused in a few common areas:

Drugs and alcohol

Drugs and alcohol are easy to find on both college and high school campuses, and teens might feel the
pressure to be "cool" by experimenting with something exotic and daring. When teens were surveyed
about drug use, 55% said they started using drugs after being pressured by their friends. But giving in to
peer pressure to consume drugs and alcohol can quickly land a person far in over their head, leading to
even worse decisions.

Stealing

Maybe it happens on a dare—a challenge to "Do this, or you're not one of us." Stealing can have an
immediate impact, including strong feelings of remorse once the rush of adrenaline wears off. Over
time, guilt, worries about getting caught, and concerns about the possible damage to their reputation
are some of the negative thoughts a person may experience after stealing.

Sexual activity

Seeing friends hooking up can make it seem as though sex is what everyone does—a common activity
that's not a big deal. That perception can easily lead a person to tamp down their misgivings or
hesitation and go further than they wanted to with a sexual partner. This pressure often begins in high
school or even earlier; studies have shown that 33 percent of teenage boys felt pressured to have sex,
while 23 percent of girls in the same age group felt the same way. It can be tough to put on the brakes in
the heat of the moment, but in addition to making a person feel uneasy about crossing their personal
boundaries, having sex under pressure often means having sex without thinking it through or planning
for it. That can lead to serious consequences, such as sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy.

One of the most important areas where peer pressure leads to regret is sex. It may seem like everyone is
hooking up, but statistics show that many fewer young adults have hookup sex than you might think.

 Jill Whitney

Bullying

Most people likely do not think of themselves as bullies. But the "playground persecutor" is just one
version of a bully, and bullying behavior can be developed in small doses. If a group of friends begins to
bully someone else, cheering each other on, it can lead to a conundrum for the student who recognizes
what's happening. If they stand aside and resist taking part, they may be treated as an outcast. But if
they do join in, they will face the negative feelings accompanied by becoming a bully themselves.

Dangerous behavior

When hanging out with a group of friends who are doing crazy things, standing firm against it - or even
walking away - can be difficult. It's also easy to justify some behaviors as "not that bad," especially if
they don't seem all that risky on the surface. Walking along railroad tracks allows plenty of time to hear
the train coming, right? Car surfing is okay as long as nobody goes too fast, right? Unfortunately, the
facts don't support the rationalizations: risky behaviors lead to death every day, especially among young
people.

One way to know whether something is right for you is how you feel while you're doing it—or afterward.
If you regret having done something, don't do it again, even if your friends do.

 Jill Whitney
Understanding and Identifying Peer Pressure

Knowledge is power; understanding anything makes it much easier to deal with. The same holds true
with peer pressure. Knowing what it is, grasping why it happens, and learning how to spot it can
empower students to better handle it.

What is peer pressure?

Peer pressure is akin to the idea of conformity. It occurs when an individual feels as though they need to
do the same things as people their own age or in their social group to be liked or accepted.

To gain that affinity and respect, some individuals will do things they don't feel they should or things
that they might not feel ready for, in order to fit in and be like those around them. This plays out in a
variety of situations, from bullying on the school playground to drinking too much in college. The
negative peer pressures can make a person feel bad about the things they are doing, even as they
continue doing them as a way to feel connected to their peers.

What your friends are and aren't doing is their choice; what you do is yours.

 Jill Whitney

Why can peer pressure be so powerful?

Who can be affected by peer pressure?

Types of Peer Pressure

Spoken
Unspoken

Positive

Negative

Spotting the Difference:

Positive vs. Negative Peer Pressure in School

Peer pressure can be both bad and good; the problem is that it's not always all one way or all the other,
and it can be difficult for students to sort through messages that may seem to have conflicting
outcomes.

Positive Peer Pressure

Positive peer pressure can make a person do things that are ultimately very good for them. For example,
according to the Teen Driver Source, 19 percent of teens said they would stop using a cell phone while
driving if their friends did the same. Here are a few questions that can make it clear if a person is facing
positive peer pressure.

Is this going to lead to healthy habits?

Positive peer pressure can lead someone to do things that are good for them, such as exercise, eat
healthy food, or avoid smoking. When these healthy things become a habit, it can often be traced back
to instances of positive peer pressure.

Does this lead to good outcomes for others?

When someone agrees to meet a friend at the gym every morning for exercise, that makes both of them
accountable – and healthier in the long run. When a friend insists on taking the keys so nobody drinks
and drives, everyone stays safe. Anything pressure that leads to good outcomes for others is a positive
thing.

Does this make me feel good inside?

Being pushed to do something by well-meaning friends should make a person feel good about their
decisions, whether it's choosing to study more often or help someone in need.

Peer Pressure in College

College brings a new environment, novel situations, and different expectations—and with those comes a
new wave of peer pressure, sometimes in forms students are unaccustomed to dealing with. Whereas
students in high school likely had strategies and support groups to help them make smart choices,
college students may feel isolated and on their own for the first time, making them even more
vulnerable to peer pressure.

The Realities of Student Peer Pressure in College

Going to college is a profound change, and even the most prepared, well-adjusted students are likely to
face a few hurdles as they adjust. As students set new priorities or adopt different lifestyles, it opens
them up to pressures that they may have resisted in the past. Here we take a look at some issues to get
an idea of what students face in college.

Drinking is common in college, but how much a person drinks often depends on the company they keep.
When social drinking is reinforced by valued friends, a student may find it difficult to refuse alcohol;
conversely, if their peers disapprove or alcohol use or do not drink at all, a student is more likely to drink
only on occasion or abstain entirely.
If college students believe their peers approve of smoking, they are more likely to engage in smoking
tobacco or using smokeless tobacco products. In fact, the perceived approval of peers is the strongest
predictor of tobacco use a

--------_-----

Peer Pressure

What is peer pressure?

Peer pressure is feeling pushed to be like other people. It plays a big role in determining who you are
and how you dress and talk and act. The need to fit in and be respected by others can change the way
people normally behave. Peer pressure can be hard to resist. Sometimes, people in groups act
differently and do things they'd never do on their own.

Peer pressure is often seen as something negative. However, peer pressure can also have a positive
influence on someone. For example, your child may want to join a sports group, a school club, or try to
get better grades because one of his or her friends might be doing the same.

Peer pressure can occur at all ages. Even toddlers are influenced by peer pressure. They see playmates
doing something they know they should not do, but they follow along. This may be something like
jumping on the beds, digging in flower pots, or running in the house. As children enter grade school,
peer pressure may affect more serious behaviors, such as shoplifting, breaking house rules, or breaking
school rules. Middle school and high school students begin to deal with bigger issues such as skipping
school, smoking cigarettes, or using drugs. The behaviors affected by peer pressure become riskier as
children grow older.

When is peer pressure a problem?

Most parents and youngsters think of peer pressure as one friend using words to persuade another. For
example:

"Here have a cigarette.""Just try one - it won't hurt you.""Are you scared - you're a wimp.""Try it - no
one will know."
Parents have legitimate concerns about this type of peer pressure. It happens at school, at the mall, at
friends' houses, and even in your house. However, there is an equally dangerous form of peer pressure.
This is a much more subtle type of peer pressure that does not use words. It is peer pressure that
happens by spending time with friends who behave in certain ways. If "everyone" is smoking cigarettes
or using drugs, your child may be influenced and follow along.

Sometimes children or teenagers will say, for example, "My friend smokes cigarettes, but it doesn't
bother me. I don't want to smoke cigarettes. I'm OK." However, as time passes and a child or teenager
continues to spend time with friends who engage in certain behaviors, they start to accept these
behaviors as OK. They may begin to adopt these behaviors as their own.