Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is an interesting phenomena, one that can change a teens life and lead them into good behaviors or behaviors that can have very negative consequences. Berger defines peer pressure as, "Encouragement to conform to one's friends or contemporaries in behavior, dress, and attitude; usually considered a negative force, as when adolescent peers encourage one another to defy adult authority" (Berger, 2011, p. 442). Teens are with their friends for most of the day either in class, out side of school, or by texting and talking on social media. It's not hard to believe that teens are then pressured by their friends to partake in a certain behavior. Teens look for validation and support from their peers, and if there peers are telling them it's okay to do drugs or have a drink a lot of teens will do it because they don't understand the possible consequences that are associated with the action. On the other hand peer pressure can have a positive affect too. A teen may experience peer pressure to join them to study for a test instead of going to the mall to shop. Peer pressure can have both a positive and negative effect depending on the peer group that is influencing that particular teen. I think that peer pressure gets a bad name, so to speak, because the media will only show how negative peer pressure can affect teens, but they don't show is the good that it can also have on a teen.

Reference:
Berger, K. S. (2011). The Developing Person Through the Life Span. New York: Worth Publishers.