peer pressure in education essay

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Essay on Peer Pressure: 100, 200, and 450 Word Samples in English

• Updated on  
• Mar 2, 2024

Have you ever done something just because your friends or peers have done it? Say, watched a movie or TV series, visited places, consumed any substance, or academic achievement. This is a classic example of peer pressure. It means you are influenced by your peers or people around you.

Peer pressure can be both positive and negative, but mostly, it has negative effects. Peer pressure often occurs during adolescence or teenage years when individuals are more susceptible to the opinions and actions of their peers. Sometimes, peer pressure can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, we must deal with peer pressure in a civilized and positive way. 

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‘Be true to who you are and proud of who you’re becoming. I have never met a critic who was doing better than me.’ – Jeff Moore

Why do we seek recognition? Why do we want to fit in? Why are we not accepting ourselves in just the way we are? The answer to these questions is almost the same; peer pressure. Peer pressure is the influence of our peers in such a way, that we wish and try to do things in the same way as others did. 

Negatives and Positive Peer Pressure

Peer pressure can have positive and negative effects. Positive peer pressure can result in better academic performance, personal growth and development, etc. We can be a source of inspiration to our friends or vice versa, which can result in better academic growth, adopting healthier lifestyles, and engaging in community service. For example, you are part of a group collaborating on a community project that demonstrates the constructive influence of peer interaction. This can encourage a sense of purpose and shared responsibility.

Negative Peer Pressure is the opposite of positive peer pressure. In such cases, we are influenced by the negative bad habits of our peers, which often result in disastrous consequences. Consider the scenario where one of your friends starts smoking simply to conform to the smoking habits of his peers, highlighting the potentially harmful consequences of succumbing to negative influences.

How to Deal With Peer Pressure?

Peer pressure can be dealt with in several ways. The first thing to do is to understand our own values and belief systems. Nobody wants to be controlled by others, and when we know what is important to us, it becomes easier to resist pressure that goes against our beliefs.

A person with self-esteem believes in his or her decisions. It creates a strong sense of self-worth and confidence. When you believe in yourself, you are more likely to make decisions based on your principles rather than succumbing to external influences.

Choosing your friends wisely can be another great way to avoid peer pressure. Positive peer influence can be a powerful tool against negative peer pressure.

Building the habit of saying ‘No’ and confidently facing pressure in uncomfortable situations can be a great way to resist peer pressure. So, it is important to assertively express your thoughts and feelings. 

Peer pressure can have different effects on our well-being. It can contribute to personal growth and development, and it can also negatively affect our mental and physical health. We can deal with peer pressure with the necessary skills, open communication, and a supportive environment. We must act and do things in responsible ways.

Also Read: Essay on Green Revolution in 100, 200 and 500 Words

‘A friend recently started smoking just because every guy in his class smokes, and when they hang out, he feels the pressure to conform and be accepted within the group. However, he is not aware of the potential health risks and personal consequences associated with the habit. 

This is one of the many negative examples of peer pressure. However, peer pressure can often take positive turns, resulting in better academic performance, and participation in social activities, and physical activities. 

Dealing with peer pressure requires a delicate balance and determination. Teenagers must have alternative positive options to resist negative influences. Developing a strong sense of self, understanding personal values, and building confidence are crucial components in navigating the challenges posed by peer pressure.

Learning to say ‘No’ assertively can be a great way to tackle peer pressure. You must understand your boundaries and be confident in your decisions. This way, you can resist pressure that contradicts your values. Also, having a plan in advance for potential pressure situations and seeking support from trusted friends or mentors can contribute to making informed and responsible choices.

‘It is our choice how we want to deal with peer pressure. We can make good and bad decisions, but in the end, we have to accept the fact that we were influenced by our peers and we were trying to fit in.’

‘Peer pressure refers to the influence of your peers. Peer pressure either be of positive or negative types. Positive peer pressure can encourage healthy habits like academic challenges, physical activities, or engaging in positive social activities. Negative peer pressure, on the other hand, can lead us to engage in risky behaviours, such as substance abuse, reckless driving, or skipping school, to fit in with our peers.’

‘There are many ways in which we can deal with peer pressure. Everyone has their personal beliefs and values. Therefore, they must believe in themselves and should not let other things distract them. When we are confident in ourselves, it becomes easier to stand up for what we believe in and make our own choices. Peer pressure can be dealt with by staying positive about yourself.’

Ans: ‘Peer pressure refers to the influence of your peers. Peer pressure either be of positive or negative types. Positive peer pressure can encourage healthy habits like academic challenges,, physical activities, or engaging in positive social activities. Negative peer pressure, on the other hand, can lead us to engage in risky behaviours, such as substance abuse, reckless driving, or skipping school, to fit in with our peers.’

Ans: Peer pressure refers to the influence of our peers or people around us. 

Ans: Peer pressure can have both positive and negative effects on school children. It can boost academic performance, encourage participation in social activities, adopt healthier lifestyles, etc. However, peer pressure often results in risky behaviours, such as substance abuse, unsafe activities, or other harmful behaviours.

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With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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Social Impact Oct 2, 2018

How peer pressure can lead teens to underachieve—even in schools where it’s “cool to be smart”, new research offers lessons for administrators hoping to improve student performance..

Leonardo Bursztyn

Georgy Egorov

Robert Jensen

Peer pressure can play a huge role in the choices that students make in school, extending beyond the clothes they wear or music they listen to.

Think, for example, of a student deciding whether to participate in educational activities, such as raising their hand in class or signing up for enrichment programs. While these efforts may be good for a college application, they also could affect how classmates perceive the student. Pressure to not seem like a nerd could make kids refrain from taking part. So why, exactly, do some kids shy away from showing effort in front of their peers? In a recent study, Georgy Egorov , a professor of managerial economics and decision sciences at Kellogg, and his collaborators considered two possibilities. In some schools, perhaps kids face a social stigma for publicly making an effort to excel. The researchers called this culture “smart to be cool.” But in other schools, perhaps high achievers are popular, and students feel pressure to do well; in other words, it’s “cool to be smart.” Perhaps counterintuitively, this type of school culture could also cause kids to avoid participating if they do not view themselves as smart and don’t want to reveal their poor grasp of the material. “If social pressure rewards high performance, then they might want to shy away from engaging if they feel unprepared,” Egorov says. The researchers used a mathematical model, as well as a field experiment at three high schools, to confirm their prediction that the reason why students shy away from showing effort can differ depending on which of these two school cultures is predominant. Given that, it is important for administrators to know which culture is stronger at a particular school when designing policies, Egorov says. For example, in a cool-to-be-smart school, students might be more likely to attend an after-school program if it is called “enrichment” rather than “extra help.” But in a smart-to-be-cool school, kids might find it more socially acceptable to seek “extra help” to avoid failing a class than “enrichment,” which suggests trying to excel. Overall, the research suggests that the reasons why some students fail to take advantage of educational opportunities can differ greatly depending on the school’s overall culture. “Many schools have kids who are underperforming,” Egorov says, “but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s all the same mechanism at work.”

An Alternate Explanation

The starting point for this research was an influential 2006 paper by Harvard economist Roland Fryer. Fryer was interested in underperformance among minority students, and looked in particular at the role of peer pressure. He found that in some types of schools, African-American and Hispanic students become less popular as their grades increase, while white students become more popular as their grades go up. In situations where studying hard is stigmatized by one’s peers, Fryer concluded, underperforming students may be deliberately trying not to appear engaged in school. But what about schools that have the opposite culture, where kids are admired for being high achievers? Do students there also deliberately downplay a desire to excel? And, if they do, are they doing it for the same reasons as students in smart-to-be-cool schools? To find out, Egorov and his collaborators, Leonardo Bursztyn at the University of Chicago and Robert Jensen at the University of Pennsylvania, first created a mathematical model to represent students in a school.

The reasons why some students fail to take advantage of educational opportunities can differ greatly depending on the school’s overall culture.

The model allowed for two types of school culture, one that rewarded high achievement and one that rewarded a lack of effort. The model also allowed students to choose to sign up for an educational activity, with their choice either being made public or kept private, as well as their performance on it being made public or kept private. Importantly, the researchers also introduced a lottery to the model. Among the students who signed up, some of them would “win” the chance to participate in the activity. The team showed that when the probability of “winning” the activity changed, interesting differences emerged. In the smart-to-be-cool school, one would expect that if signing up and participating in an activity were done publicly, fewer kids would do it because they wouldn’t want to seem like they are trying hard. But what happens when the chances of winning the activity increase? In making their decision, students are weighing two types of benefits: the social perks of their classmates’ approval if they do not appear to be trying to excel vs. the economic perks of getting a better education. When the chances of winning are low, the student is socially stigmatized for signing up and probably will not even receive the educational reward. But if the chances of winning are high, the net benefits increase. While the student still faces disapproval from peers, at least she is more likely to boost her economic prospects. And, under these circumstances, the model predicts that more students would likely sign up. “You are more likely to sign up if at least you get something for that,” Egorov says. In this “public” scenario, increasing the chances of winning would have the opposite effect at a cool-to-be-smart school. Students there benefit socially from signing up: showing they want to participate makes them fit in with the high achievers. So when the probability of winning is low, students can sign up to signal that they are smart without running a big risk that they will actually have to do the activity in public, which could reveal that they are low performers. If the chances of winning—and therefore having their performance made public—are high, they are less likely to sign up. Egorov compares the situation to a teacher asking a question in class. If a low-performing student raises his hand when no one else is doing so, his chances of “winning” participation—that is, being called on by the teacher—are high. So the student is unlikely to take that risk. But if ten other kids have already raised their hands, a low-performing student might do the same to fit in with smart peers, since the teacher probably won’t call on him anyway. “Raising your hand is safe,” Egorov says. “You try to pool with the high performers at low risk.”

Striking Differences

To test these predictions, the team visited 11th-grade classrooms at three high schools in Los Angeles: one that previous research hinted would have a smart-to-be-cool culture, and two others that the team suspected might have a cool-to-be-smart culture. (A subsequent survey of students indeed confirmed that the schools had the predicted cultures.) To run their experiment, the researchers gave 511 students a form that offered the chance to enter a lottery to win a real SAT prep package, which would include a diagnostic test to identify strengths and weaknesses. Some forms said that the sign-up decision and test results would be completely anonymous; others hinted that the results might be visible to classmates. The team also varied the probability of winning the lottery for the package. Some forms said the student had a 75 percent chance, while others listed a 25 percent chance. As expected, fear of peers’ judgment seemed to drive decisions. In both types of schools, when the students’ choice and test results were private, about 80 percent signed up. But in the public scenario, that figure dropped to 53 percent. If the experiment had stopped there, the researchers might have assumed that effort and achievement were stigmatized in all the schools. But when researchers analyzed the results based on whether the probability of winning the lottery was high or low, a very different picture emerged. As their model predicted, changing the chance of winning in the public scenario revealed substantial differences between the two types of schools. In the smart-to-be-cool school, sign-up rates rose from 44 percent to 62 percent when the probability of winning the lottery increased, suggesting that students were willing to risk social stigma only when they thought they stood a good chance of accessing the SAT prep package. But in cool-to-be-smart schools, sign-up rates showed the opposite pattern, dropping from 66 percent to 40 percent.

Tailored Policy Solutions

Egorov is quick to point out that the experiment was done at only three schools, so the findings should not be generalized across schools based solely on their student demographics or other observable factors, such as school location. But, he says, the results suggest that administrators should understand their school’s culture when designing policies. For example, making class participation mandatory in a smart-to-be cool school could reduce the stigma of raising one’s hand. But in a cool-to-be-smart school, the same policy could provoke struggling students to disrupt class so they can avoid participating.

James Farley/Booz, Allen & Hamilton Research Professor; Professor of Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences

About the Writer Roberta Kwok is a freelance science writer based near Seattle.

About the Research Bursztyn, Leonardo, Georgy Egorov, and Robert Jensen. Forthcoming. “Cool to Be Smart or Smart to Be Cool? Understanding Peer Pressure in Education.” Review of Economic Studies .

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The Impact of Academic Pressure and Peer Support on Adolescents’ Loneliness: A Polynomial Regression and Response Surface Analysis

Zhensong lan.

1 School of Public Administration, Hechi University, Yizhou, Guangxi, 546300, People’s Republic of China

Huaqiang Liu

2 School of Law and Public Administration, Yibin University, Yibin, Sichuan, 644000, People’s Republic of China

3 Yibin Ronghe Social Work Service Center, Yibin, Sichuan, 644000, People’s Republic of China

Xuefang Huang

4 School of Teacher Education, Hechi University, Yizhou, Guangxi, 546300, People’s Republic of China

5 Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330013, People’s Republic of China

Fafang Deng

6 School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, People’s Republic of China

To explore the impact of the match between academic pressure and peer support on adolescents’ sense of loneliness and examine whether social connectedness played a mediating role, using a polynomial regression and response surface analysis.

A questionnaire survey was conducted with 1277 adolescents from two cities in Sichuan Province, China, to investigate their academic pressure, peer support, social connectedness, and sense of loneliness.

(1) Adolescents’ sense of loneliness positively correlated with their level of academic pressure and negatively correlated with their degree of peer support. (2) Social connectedness played a mediating role in the relationship between academic pressure, peer support, and sense of loneliness. (3) Adolescents with high academic pressure and low peer support had weaker social connectedness than those with low academic pressure and high peer support. (4) Adolescents with high academic pressure and high peer support had stronger social connectedness than those with low academic pressure and low peer support.

The study revealed the mechanism through which a match (or mismatch) between academic pressure and peer support influenced adolescents’ sense of loneliness and validated the mediating role of social connectedness. The study enriches the developmental theory of adolescent loneliness and provides research experience for future interventions targeting adolescent loneliness.

Introduction

Loneliness is a subjective feeling of social isolation or a perceived lack of contact with others that results in a distressing experience. 1 It is also a significant but underestimated public health risk. 2 Loneliness pervades the entire human lifespan but is most common among adolescents and young people. 3 , 4 Statistics show that nearly 80% of adolescents frequently experience loneliness. 5 The causes of their loneliness include limited familial interaction or increased familial conflict, 6 , 7 hindered development of intimate social relationships, 8 academic maladaptation, 9 and transitions to new environments or roles. 10 , 11 Context development theory suggests that support from friends and parents interact in adolescents’ emotional adaptation, with one form of support compensating for the absence of the other. 12 , 13 Academic pressure also seems to play a role in the increase in adolescent loneliness. 14 This study aims to explore this interaction.

The Relationship Between Academic Pressure and Sense of Loneliness

Academic pressure is defined as stress related to academic performance. 15 Research has shown that the significant increase in loneliness during adolescence is often associated with poor academic performance. 16 One reason is that, in many countries, teachers, and parents place great emphasis on education, making educational expectations one of the main sources of immense pressure on adolescents. 17 There may thus be a positive correlation between academic pressure and loneliness, with high academic pressure leading to higher levels of loneliness, and lonely adolescents feeling a greater academic burden. 14 Although loneliness has been extensively explored as a variable, academic pressure has not received much attention as a factor contributing to a sense of loneliness. However, it has been proven to be a significant variable that should not be overlooked. 14 Previous researches have not much studied on the relationship between academic stress and loneliness among Chinese adolescents. In view of the background that Chinese adolescents generally face greater academic pressure, it is necessary to further examine this relationship.

This study therefore proposes Hypothesis 1: There is a significant positive correlation between academic pressure and a sense of loneliness in adolescents.

The Relationship Between Friend Support and Sense of Loneliness

High-quality friendships are crucial for the well-being of adolescents. 18 Peers and parents are important factors in an individual’s developmental environment, and different types of social relationship can meet different interpersonal needs. 19 Each type of relationship provides essential functions, and a lack of necessary relationship provisions can lead to painful experiences of loneliness. 4 During adolescence, peer relationships in predicting adolescent well-being becomes more prominent. 20 Evidence suggests that a lack of intimate friendships is one of the main causes of adolescent loneliness. 13 In view of the fact that social relationships can meet interpersonal needs and the impact of intimate relationships on adolescents’ loneliness, previous studies have also lacked the relationship between peer support and loneliness. This study attempts to further explore the impact of peer support on adolescents’ loneliness, in order to explore the improvement of adolescents’ peer support to improve their loneliness in the future.

Therefore, this study proposes Hypothesis 2: There is a significant negative correlation between peer support and a sense of loneliness in adolescents.

The Relationship Between Academic Pressure, Friend Support, Social Connectedness, and Sense of Loneliness

Social connectedness refers to an individual’s subjective perception of the intimacy of interpersonal relationships and the cognitive recognition of patterns in these relationships. It reflects an individual’s attachment and commitment to social entities. 20–22 Loneliness occurs when there is a discrepancy between an individual’s expectations and the actual level of interpersonal interactions. It is a subjective experience of perceived unsatisfactory social connectedness and interpersonal relationships, indicating that lonely individuals often experience poor social interactions. 20 , 23 One study found that middle school students with better school connectedness and social connectedness had better mental health outcomes. 24 This suggests that when individuals feel lonely, they may need to enhance their social connectedness and engage in friendly interactions and conversations with others to promote positive emotional experiences and alleviate the distress caused by loneliness. 14

Research has shown that social connectedness is positively correlated with social support and is a protective factor for common psychological distress symptoms such as loneliness, 25 , 26 while a decrease in social support is closely associated with increased feelings of loneliness in adolescents. 27 In addition, scholars have found that higher levels of academic pressure are associated with lower levels of social support. 28 Previous studies focused on the impact of academic stress, peer support or social connection on adolescent loneliness, lacking of research experience to explore how academic stress and peer support work together to affect adolescent loneliness. In addition, peer support is passive support, while social connection is active connection, so it is necessary to explore the mediating role of social connection in it.

Therefore, in order to investigate the mechanisms through which academic pressure and peer support influence feelings of loneliness in adolescents, as well as the mediating role of social connectedness in this mechanism, this study proposes Hypothesis 3: Social connectedness plays a mediating role between the matching effect of “academic pressure-peer relationship” and loneliness in adolescents.

Participants

This study selected adolescents in grades 7 to 12 from four middle schools in L City and Y City, Sichuan Province, China, in January 2023 as participants. Cluster sampling was conducted at the class level with two classes selected from each grade in the four schools, resulting in a total sample of 1320 adolescents. A paper-based questionnaire survey was administered in a group setting. Prior to the administration of the tests, informed consent was obtained from all participants. A total of 1320 questionnaires were distributed; after excluding invalid responses, 1277 valid questionnaires were obtained, accounting for 96.74% of the total. The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of Yibin University (approval number: 2022042101Y).

In the valid sample, the average age of the adolescents was 14.34 years (SD = 1.72), including 678 (53.1%) males and 599 (46.9%) females. There were 211 (16.5%) students in grade 7, 245 (19.2%) in grade 8, 255 (20.0%) in grade 9, 194 (15.2%) in grade 10, 183 (14.3%) in grade 11, and 189 (14.8%) in grade 12. There were 193 (15.1%) only children and 1084 (84.9%) children with siblings.

Measurements

Academic pressure questionnaire.

This study used the Academic Pressure Questionnaire developed by Wang et al. 29 The questionnaire consists of 35 items covering four dimensions of academic pressure: academic performance pressure, setback pressure, external environmental pressure, and competitive pressure. The behavioral measurement frequency of the participants was scored on a 5-point Likert scale, with (0 = Never, 1 = Occasionally, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often, and 4 = Always). After reverse-scoring transformation, higher scores indicated higher levels of academic pressure. In this study, Cronbach’s α for this scale was 0.96, and the KMO and Bartlett’s test values were 0.97, indicating good reliability and validity for the scale.

Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale

This study used the Chinese version of the Child and Adolescent Social Support (CASS) scale, which was revised by Luo, Chen, and Mu. 30 The revised scale consists of five subscales with a total of 60 items. The peer support subscale is a subscale of the CASS scale, consisting of 12 items. The behavioral measurement frequency of the participants was scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = Never, 1 = Occasionally, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often, and 4 = Always). After reverse-scoring transformation, higher scores indicated lower levels of social support. In this study, Cronbach’s α coefficient for this scale was 0.96, and the KMO and Bartlett’s test values were 0.97, indicating good reliability and validity for the scale.

Social Connectedness Scale

The Social Connectedness scale, revised by Fan et al, 31 was used to measure the degree of social connectedness. It comprises 20 items across three dimensions: sense of integration, sense of acceptance, and life involvement. Participants rated each item on a five-point Likert scale (0 = never, 1 = occasionally, 2 = sometimes, 3 = often, and 4 = always). After reverse-scoring transformation, the higher the score, the lower the social connectedness. In this study, Cronbach’s α was 0.92, and the KMO and Bartlett’s test values were 0.95, indicating good reliability and validity.

Loneliness Scale

A revised version of the “Adolescent Loneliness Scale” developed by Zou, 32 was used to measure adolescent loneliness. The scale consists of 21 items. Participants were required to rate their agreement with each item. Each item was scored on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Never, 2 = Occasionally, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often, and 5 = Always). After reverse-scoring transformation, higher scores indicated a stronger sense of loneliness. In this study, Cronbach’s α coefficient for this scale was 0.93, and the KMO and Bartlett’s test values were 0.94.

Method of Analysis

The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were assessed using SPSS software (version 23.0; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were conducted on the research variables. Polynomial regression and response surface analyses were performed using R language. The important features of the three-dimensional response surface were estimated, and significance tests were conducted. In addition, a three-dimensional response surface graph was plotted.

The polynomial regression analysis was used to test a set of linear and nonlinear equations derived from the regression model. 33 , 34 The independent variables in this model included academic stress (XX) and peer support (HY) as well as their squared and interaction terms. This method of analysis was used to examine the independent, consistency, and differentiation effects (ie, inconsistent effects) of the two independent variables on the dependent variable. The model was constructed using a quadratic polynomial regression as follows: GD = b0 + control variables + b1(XX) + b2(HY) + b3(XX)^2 + b4(XX) × (HY) + b5(HY)^2 + Gender + Age + e. Here, GD represented the dependent variable, XX and HY were the two independent variables, b0 was the intercept, b1–b5 were the non-standard regression coefficients, gender and age were control variables, and e represented the error term. The analysis process in this study mainly involved three steps.

Step 1 involved conducting the polynomial regression analysis. 34 , 35 First, the predictor variables XX and HY were normalized and the ratio of sample consistency or inconsistency in the direction of XX and HY was examined 35 to validate the suitability of the polynomial regression analysis. Second, the control and independent variables XX and HY were entered into the regression equation to test the linear effects of XX and HY on the dependent variable (GD). Finally, the interaction term (XX × HY) and squared terms ((XX)^2 and (HY)^2) were included in the equation to test the curve relationship and interaction effects.

Step 2 involved the construction of a three-dimensional response surface based on the results of the polynomial regression analysis. 33 The regression coefficients (b1–b5) were transformed into parameters (a1–a5) for response surface analysis. 36 The analysis of data features, such as the stationary point of the response surface, (in)consistency lines, and the relationship between the first principal axis and the a1–a5 parameters, was used to interpret the results. 33 , 36

Step 3 involved evaluating the direct and indirect effects of the mediation model between XX and HY in consistent and inconsistent matching pairs using a block variable. 34 , 35 First, the five polynomials (XX, HY, (XX)^2, (XX) × (HY), and (HY)^2) were combined into a block variable. The block variable was then used as the independent variable to test the matching (consistency or inconsistency) of XX–HY and its impact on loneliness (GD) through the social connectedness (SL) hypothesis. The PROCESS plugin in SPSS was used, and bootstrap resampling was performed 5000 times to estimate the 95% confidence interval of the effect values and to test the mediation effect. 37

Descriptive Statistical and Correlation Analyses

The statistical results of the mean, standard deviation, and correlation matrix of each variable are shown in Table 1 using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The results showed no significant correlations between sex, age, social connectedness, and loneliness among adolescents (Rs = −0.043 to 0.036, p > 0.05). However, there were significant positive correlations among academic stress (XX), peer support (HY), social connectedness, and loneliness (Rs = 0.314–0.817, p < 0.001). Thus, Hypotheses 1 and 2 were supported. The loneliness score among adolescents in this study was 25.16 ± 16.27, which is at a lower level (with a maximum score of 82.0 points). However, 212 adolescents (16.60%) scored higher than the median score of 42.0.

Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Analysis (N = 1277)

Notes : Statistically significant values ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001; Gender: 0 for Boy and 1 for Girl; XX = academic pressure; HY = peer support; SL = social connectedness; GD= loneliness.

The results showed that the proportion of consistent cases between academic stress (XX) and peer support (HY) was 34.85% (445 participants), the proportion of cases where academic stress (XX) was greater than peer support (HY) was 32.03% (409 participants), and the proportion of cases in which academic stress (XX) was less than peer support (HY) was 33.12% (423 participants). These proportions met the analysis requirements (each category was greater than 10%) and allowed the polynomial regression analysis to be conducted.

The Effect of Academic Pressure–Peer Support Matching on Adolescents’ Social Connectedness

The impact of matching academic stress (XX) with peer support (HY) on adolescents’ social connectedness was examined using polynomial regression and response surface analyses. Table 2 presents the results of the study.

Polynomial Regression Results and Response Surface Analysis (N = 1277)

Notes : Statistically significant values * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001; Gender: 0 for Boy and 1 for Girl; SL = social connectedness; GD = loneliness. The regression coefficients in the table are unstandardized regression coefficients. ΔR^2 represents the change in the model’s explanatory power after including the quadratic terms XX^2, XX×HY, and HY^2. R^2 represents the variance explained by the polynomial regression model as a whole. a1 and a2 represent the slope and curvature of the consistent line, respectively, a3 and a4 represent the slope and curvature of the inconsistent line, respectively, and a5 indicates whether the first principal axis of the surface lies on the consistent line.

According to the data in Table 2 , after controlling for gender and age, XX(b1=0.299) and HY(b2=0.524) positively predicted the social connectedness(SL) levels (p < 0.001). The significance of ΔR^2 in the polynomial model increased significantly (p < 0.001), indicating a significant relationship between the independent variables (XX–HY) and the dependent variable (social connectedness, SL) in the opposite direction (“one high and one low”). 38 In addition, the response surface significantly shifted along the inconsistent line (a5 = −0.071, p < 0.01), indicating that the first principal axis representing the response surface did not coincide with the consistent line.

The slope (a1 = 0.823, p < 0.001) and curvature (a2 = 0.053, p < 0.05) along the consistent line (XX = HY) of the response surface indicated that the dependent variable (social connectedness, SL) formed an upward concave surface along the consistency of the independent variable (XX–HY) ( Figure 1 ). In other words, the response surface first decreased along the consistent curve, reached its lowest point near the stationary point, and then increased. Compared to the “low XX–low HY” level of consistency, when the consistency level of the independent variable was “high XX–high HY”, the level of social connectedness (SL) was higher (Z-hat = 23.490, 95% CI [21.829, 25.141]). As higher scores indicate weaker peer support and social connectedness (SL) in adolescents, the social connectedness (SL) of adolescents with strong academic stress (XX) and weak peer support (HY) was weaker than that of adolescents with weak academic stress (XX) and strong peer support (HY).

Response surface analysis of academic pressure (XX) and peer support (HY) matching with social connectedness (SL).

The curvature (a4 = 0.106, p < 0.05) along the inconsistent line (XX = -HY) of the response surface indicates a concave increase from left to right ( Figure 1 ), which means that the consistency of the independent variables (XX and HY) had a negative impact on social connectedness (SL), the lowest value of which occurred within the region where HY > XX. In addition, the slope (a3 = −0.225, P < 0.001) of the inconsistent line suggests a significant difference in the level of social connectedness (SL) owing to the difference in the independent variables. When using the point selection method 39 for calculation, it was found that the level of social connectedness (SL) was lower for “high XX–low HY” than for “low XX–high HY” (Z-hat = −2.768, 95% CI [−5.104, −0.530]). Higher scores indicate weaker peer support(HY) and social connectedness (SL) in adolescents; the social connectedness (SL) of adolescents with strong academic stress (XX) and peer support (HY) was stronger than that of adolescents with weak academic stress (XX) and peer support (HY).

The Effect of Academic Pressure–Peer Support Matching on Adolescents’ Loneliness

The impact of matching academic stress (XX) with peer support (HY) on adolescents’ loneliness was examined using polynomial regression and response surface analyses. Table 2 presents the results of the study.

According to the data in Table 2 , after controlling for gender and age, XX(b1=0.250) and HY(b2=0.445) positively predicted the loneliness(GD) levels (p < 0.001). The significance of ΔR^2 in the polynomial model increased significantly (p < 0.001), indicating a significant relationship between the independent variables (XX–HY) and the dependent variable (loneliness, GD) in the opposite direction (“one high and one low”). 38 In addition, the response surface significantly shifted along the inconsistent line (a5 = −0.071, p < 0.01), indicating that the first principal axis representing the response surface did not coincide with the consistent line.

The slope (a1 = 0.796, p < 0.001) and curvature (a2 = 0.153, p < 0.001) along the consistent line (XX = HY) of the response surface indicated that the dependent variable (loneliness, GD) formed an upward concave surface along the consistency of the independent variable (XX–HY) ( Figure 2 ). Compared to the “low XX–low HY” level of consistency, when the consistency level of the independent variable was “high XX–high HY”, the level of loneliness (GD) was higher (Z-hat=26.435, 95% CI [24.442, 28.495]). As higher scores indicate weaker peer support (HY) and loneliness (GD) in adolescents, the loneliness (GD) of adolescents with strong academic stress (XX) and weak peer support (HY) was weaker than that of adolescents with weak academic stress (XX) and strong peer support (HY).

Response surface analysis of academic pressure (XX) and peer support (HY) matching with loneliness (GD).

The results of slope (a3 =−0.095, P < 0.01) and curvature (a4 = 0.066, P > 0.05) of the response surface along the inconsistency line show that the response surface presents an approximate straight line with lower left and higher right along the inconsistency line (left corner to right corner) ( Figure 2 ). That is to say, the value of loneliness (GD) varies with the degree of differentiation between academic pressure (XX) and peer support (HY). Compared with “low XX–high HY”, the level of loneliness (GD) is higher when “high XX–low HY”. That is, the greater the difference of ‘XX > HY’, the higher the level of loneliness (GD).

Mediating Effect Test

On the basis of the above analysis, we now examine the impact of the block variable (XX–HY) on adolescents’ feelings of loneliness and the mediating effect of social connectedness between the block variable (XX–HY) and adolescents’ feelings of loneliness. As polynomial regression and response surface analysis include sex and age as control variables, this study incorporated them as control variables in the equation. All variables were standardized. As shown in Figure 3 , with gender and age as control variables, the block variable (XX–HY) was the independent variable, social connectedness was the mediating variable, and adolescents’ feelings of loneliness was the dependent variable. The effect of the block variable (XX–HY) on social connectedness was 1.000 (t = 34.36, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.943, 1.057]); the effect of social connectedness on adolescents’ feelings of loneliness was 0.691 (t = 31.77, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.648, 0.734]); the total effect of the block variable (XX–HY) on adolescents’ feelings of loneliness was 0.262 (t = 8.36, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.200, 0.323]); and the direct effect was 0.953 (t = 31.52, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.894, 1.012]).

Mediating effect of social connectedness between the block variable (academic pressure–peer support) and loneliness among adolescents.

Therefore, social connectedness in adolescents was found to partially mediate the relationship between the block variable (XX–HY) and adolescents’ feelings of loneliness, with a mediation effect size of 72.51%. Hence, Hypothesis 3 is supported.

Due to the emphasis on academic achievement in the Chinese educational environment, adolescents in China generally experience high levels of academic pressure. 17 Moreover, Chinese adolescents face reduced family connections and increased academic pressure. 14 This results confirm that the stronger the academic pressure faced by adolescents, the weaker their social connectedness. 28 This result is consistent with the earlier findings, academic pressures can reduce adolescents’ level of social engagement, 40 and peer support was positively correlated with social connectedness, meaning that the stronger the level of support from friends, the stronger the social connectedness of adolescents.

In this study, academic pressure and peer support had interdependent effects on adolescents’ social connectedness. Furthermore, adolescents with high academic pressure and low peer support had weaker social connectedness than those with low academic pressure and high peer support. Moreover, the degree of adolescent social connectedness showed a concave response surface consistent with academic pressure and peer support. This indicates that, with increasing academic pressure, peer support initially has a weakening effect on the reduction of social connectedness, followed by an additional effect. This finding highlights the importance of considering both academic pressure and peer support and reveals the unique and independent impact of peer support on academic pressure and social connectedness. These results may have practical implications for the implementation of measures and programs to alleviate academic pressure and promote the development of friendships among students.

The research findings also revealed that the level of social connectedness among adolescents tends to increase in a concave shape from left to right in the mismatch of academic pressure and peer support. This means that consistency between academic pressure and peer support has a negative impact on the level of social connectedness among adolescents. Furthermore, the maximum value of social connectedness among adolescents occurs in the region where peer support is strong and academic pressure is high (HY > XX). In other words, adolescents with high academic pressure and strong peer support have stronger social connectedness than those with low academic pressure and weak peer support. This indirectly indicates that adolescents who face less academic pressure and receive effective peer support have a stronger level of social connectedness, and peer support seems to have a more prominent impact on their social connectedness. Conversely, positive peer support provides adolescents with greater coping resources, enabling them to adapt better to environmental changes 41 and thus improve their academic performance. 42

The Mediating Role of Social Connectedness in the Match Between Academic Pressure and Peer Support and Loneliness

Loneliness is a prominent issue in early adolescence; 3 however, it is currently unclear which factors are closely related to it. Our research findings suggest that social support is closely associated with feelings of loneliness among adolescents. 27 Social support is also closely related to social connectedness, serving as a protective factor against loneliness. 25 , 26 One possible explanation is that adolescents who feel lonely often report lower social skills, and these subjective negative cognitions hinder their behavior in seeking social support and connections because they perceive their functioning in social environments negatively. 43 Research has shown that academic pressure has a unique relationship with feelings of loneliness. 16 Greater academic pressure is associated with stronger feelings of loneliness, and in turn, loneliness negatively affects academic pressure. 14

Furthermore, after examining the multivariate effects of academic pressure and friend support on feelings of loneliness, social connectedness, academic pressure and loneliness were found to be positively correlated. Peer support and social connectedness scores increased, indicating lower levels of peer support and social connectedness among adolescents. This confirms that the higher the level of peer support and social connectedness among adolescents and the greater the academic pressure they face, the stronger their feelings of loneliness.

The results also showed that social connectedness mediated the relationship between academic pressure and peer support matching and feelings of loneliness among adolescents, with a mediation effect size of 72.51%. This indicates that the level of social connectedness among adolescents has a significant mediating effect between the matching of academic pressure and peer support and feelings of loneliness. This study is the first to focus not only on the specific effects of academic pressure, friend support, and social connectedness on feelings of loneliness but also on the associations and differential effects among these factors. Doing so not only confirmed the positive role of more social connections in facilitating friend interactions and communication, and reducing feelings of loneliness 14 but also validated the view that positive social connections are beneficial for the well-being of adolescents who experience loneliness due to increased academic pressure. 24

The main contribution of this study is its use of polynomial regression combined with response surface methodology to reveal the mechanism underlying the joint influence of academic pressure and peer support on social connectedness and feelings of loneliness among adolescents.

Although this study provides new insights, its research design still has some limitations. First, the sampling limitations make it difficult to generalize from the research findings, as the sample size of four secondary schools in two cities is relatively small compared to a national sample. Second, this study focused on junior high and high school students, and it is not known whether the research findings could be replicated. Finally, this was a cross-sectional study, and further longitudinal research data are needed to examine the practical and theoretical effects of social connectedness intervention practices for preventing and intervening in adolescent loneliness.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the administrators and class teachers of middle schools in Luzhou City and Yibin City, as well as the participants and their parents for their active cooperation, whose help enabled the smooth development of this study.Meanwhile, we would like to thank Yibin University, Hechi University and other institutions for their full support in ethical review, research and coordination.

Funding Statement

This study was funded by the Key Project of Rural Community Governance Research Center of Sichuan Province, China(SQZL2021A02).

Declaration of AI-Assisted Technologies in the Writing Process

During the preparation of this work the author(s) used Chat AI in order to proofread the language. After using this tool, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and takes full responsibility for the content of the publication.

Data Sharing Statement

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.

Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate

This study and its research programs were approved by the Ethics Committee of Human Research Ethics Committee of Yibin University, China (2022-04-21-01Y). All methods were carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the aforementioned ethics committee. All participants were informed about the contents of the survey and obtained their consent, as well as the informed consent of the participants’ parents or legal guardians and the class teacher.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

The authors of this study declare no conflict of interest and that the study has not been submitted for publication anywhere else.

Ask a Psychologist

Helping students thrive now.

Angela Duckworth and other behavioral-science experts offer advice to teachers based on scientific research. To submit questions, use this form or #helpstudentsthrive. Read more from this blog.

Why Students Give In to Peer Pressure. Here’s How to Help Them Resist It

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This is the second in a two-part series on social belonging. You can read the first one here .

How do I help students fight peer pressure?

Young people recognize when they’re giving in to bad influences, but they struggle to resist. Here’s something I wrote about the topic for Character Lab as a Tip of the Week :

My 12-year-old son came home from school one day, his head hanging low. A kid had been teasing him, and he lashed out in return. Things escalated until he found himself in a fistfight on the playground, other kids egging him on. He knew “it probably wasn’t the best thing to do.”

I was disappointed in my son—hadn’t I raised him to be a better person than that? When I asked him why he did it, he said, “Sometimes I care more about my ego than about myself.”

This motivation to protect and enhance our sense of self is what psychologists call self-integrity .

Life is full of threats to self-integrity. You didn’t get a promotion. A friend slighted you. Even when there’s no actual threat, your mind drifts to possible ones: Maybe I’ll choke under pressure at the next game. Maybe I’ll fail the big exam. And so on.

When our self-integrity is threatened even momentarily, we are more likely to conform to others who offer validation, even when their views are wrong, reckless, or hateful.

We might think that people who engage in destructive or anti-social behavior lack character, that they’re bad seeds who have a history of disciplinary problems. But research finds that’s often not the case. One of the strongest predictors of teens’ bad behavior isn’t their attitude but social norms—what they think other teens endorse, especially the ones they want to be like. In this study, the teens who conformed most to anti-social norms were the ones who, like my son, worried about being accepted.

That’s why punitive approaches to disciplinary problems in school, especially suspension, do more harm than good. Punishment doesn’t help teens feel like they belong. What’s the alternative? Activities that affirm the self, that help people to get in touch with their core values and live them out in word and deed.

Don’t jump to the conclusion that bad behavior reflects bad character.

Do consider the possibility that bad behavior comes from a desire to belong and be seen. Help the young people in your life reflect on their most cherished values . Then they can join volunteer groups, sports teams, and other extracurricular activities that allow them to express and act on those values. In my son’s case, he became an avid member of a sports club, where he learned and lived out the values of effort and teamwork—and found a powerful source of self-integrity and belonging.

The opinions expressed in Ask a Psychologist: Helping Students Thrive Now are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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How Peer Pressure Affects Everyday Students

Peer Pressure Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on peer pressure.

Peer pressure can be both negative and positive. Because if a person is a peer pressuring you for a good cause then it is motivation. Motivation is essential for the growth of a person. While peer pressure for a bad cause will always lead you to a disastrous situation.

Therefore it necessary for a person to not get influenced by the people around them. They should analyze the outcome of the deed in a strict manner. So that they no may commit anything harmful for themselves. As this world is full of bad people, so you need to be careful before trusting anybody.

Advantages of Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is advantageous in many ways. Most importantly it creates a sense of motivation in the person. Which further forces the person to cross the barrier and achieve something great. Furthermore, it boosts the confidence of a person. Because our brain considers people’s opinions and makes them a priority.

Many salesmen and Entrepreneurs use this technique to influence people to buy their products. Whenever we are in a social meet we always get various recommendations. Therefore when a person gets these recommendations the brain already starts liking it. Or it creates a better image of that thing. This forces the person to buy the product or at least consider it.

This peer pressure technique also works in creating a better character of a person. For instance, when we recommend someone for a particular job, the interviewer already gets a better image of that person. Because he is recommended by a person the interviewer trusts. Therefore there is a great chance of that person to get hired.

Above all the main advantage of peer pressure can be in youth. If a young person gets influenced by an individual or a group of people. He can achieve greater heights in his career.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Disadvantages of Peer Pressure

There are various disadvantages of peer pressure which can harm a person in many ways. If any person is not willing to perform a task then the peer pressure can be frustrating to him.

Furthermore, peer pressure should not be in an excessive manner. Because it lands a negative impact on the person. A person should be of the mindset of listening to himself first. While considering opinions in favor of him.

Peer pressure in youth from a bad company can lead a person to a nasty situation. Furthermore, it can also hamper a student’s career and studies if not averted. Youth these days are much influenced by the glamorous life of celebrities.

And since they follow them so much, these people become their peers. Thus they do such things that they should not. Drugs and smoking are major examples of this. Moreover most shocking is that the minors are even doing these things. This can have adverse effects on their growth and career.

It is necessary to judge the outcome of a deed before getting influenced by peers. Furthermore, peer pressure should always be secondary. Your own thoughts and wants should always have the first priority.

Q1. What is peer pressure?

A1 . Peer pressure is the influence on people by their peers. As a result, people start following their opinions and lifestyle. Furthermore, it is considering a person or his opinion above all and giving him the priority.

Q2. Which sector of the society is the peer pressure adversely affecting?

A2 . Peer pressure has adverse effects on the youth of society. Some false influencers are playing with the minds of the youngsters. As a result, the youth is going in the wrong direction and ruining their career opportunities.

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Peer Pressure — Peer Pressure and It’s Tremendous Effects on Academic Performance

Peer Pressure and It's Tremendous Effects on Academic Performance

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Published: Feb 11, 2023

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Literature review, how does peer pressure affect student.

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The Effects of Peer Pressure on Students, Essay Example

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There are no simple answers to the effects of peer pressure on students.  It would be unfair to say that most peer pressure results in unwise decisions, as it is often generalized within current culture.  Peer pressure transforms a student in a unique manner.  The current analysis will examine the most dangerous effects of peer pressure on students, as well as the general negative and positive effects.

Dangerous Effects of Peer Pressure

There are a number of dangerous effects that peer pressure can have on students.  These effects are often felt within media and schools, which is where the perceived dangers of peer pressures lie, according to most.  However, they certainly cannot be disregarded due to the truth of these concerns.

Alcohol is felt within the consequences of peer pressure in students.  With regards to underage drinking, this is a significant problem within students, especially in high school and college.  The habits and commonplace of underage drinking is established in high school, which is then perpetuated to one’s college years.

Partying in general is another example of the more dangerous effects of peer pressure.  Younger students at parties are around others who are unsupervised, which makes them more susceptible to peer pressure.  Thus, items like drinking and other inappropriate behavior are accepted in one’s social circle.  Peer pressure is commonly seen at parties, which is where a number of dangerous activities occur.

Sex is also another example of the negative effects of peer pressure.  Students are having sex at a younger age, resulting in items like teenage pregnancies.  As underage and unprotected sex becomes accepted in social circles, peer pressure often has an effect on students in this way as well.

General Negative Effects

There are a number of generally negative effects that peer pressure can have on a student’s development.  Beyond the more dangerous effects, at least in regards to the more clearly defined negative effects, a number of underlying effects of peer pressure can be seen with students.  The dynamics that are presented in peer pressure in students can unfortunately be quite negative.

Peer pressure can often drown out the opinion of one.  When students are engaged in certain social circles, it is not uncommon to see the unfair treatment of individuals.  Certain individuals, whether they are not liked, ignored, or just not seen, are often unable to relate to others.

Peer pressure also removes the choices that one should be able to make.  A number of events and activities that students are involved in are done on a social level.  Such activities remove the healthy choices that enable students to seek adventure and healthy activities, instead of what is expected or on schedule.

The underlying negative dynamic of peer pressure is the ultimate undermining of individuality.  Peer pressure has the unfortunate effect of removing one’s own will and desires, in order to become accepted or liked within a social circle.  As seen in these negative examples and in the more dangerous illustrations, the individual is often casted our in peer pressure.  As a result, one is left to follow others in that of peer pressure.

General Positive Effects

Peer pressure can of course have positive effects on students.  While this is often not portrayed, it rings true for many students.  It can often push and help one to realize or perform something, to help someone thrive with the help of others.

Peer pressure can help individuals in more difficult periods.  Friends are there to help someone in tough times, and peer pressure can help someone who needs wise council.  Many students, who are involved with the right people, are able to enjoy the positive relationships when they need them the most.

Some activities driven by peer pressure can help students get involved.  Activities and functions can be great for the social development of a student.  Peer pressure, even when applied outside of one’s comfort zone, can ultimately be beneficial.

Peer pressure can also help individuals make the right choices.  When students face difficult choices in their life, they often rely on their friends.  In this manner peer pressure can help persuade one to the right decision, allowing their friend to see the positive way to react to an important choice.

It is unfortunate that peer pressure is often regarded in one dimension.  While there are certainly negative effects of peer pressure, such as those that undermine one’s individuality and encourage dangerous practices, peer pressure can help an individual develop through the difficult times as a student and a person.  Centered on surrounding oneself with positive influences, peer pressure can rise above the negative effects to institute healthy social and personal steps of one’s development.

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What Is Peer Pressure?

Types, Examples, and How to Deal With Peer Pressure

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• Parental Influence
• Peer Pressure at All Ages
• How to Cope

Peer pressure is the process by which members of the same social group influence other members to do things that they may be resistant to, or might not otherwise choose to do. Peers are people who are part of the same social group, so the term "peer pressure" refers to the influence that peers can have on each other.

Usually, the term peer pressure is used when people are talking about behaviors that are not considered socially acceptable or desirable, such as experimentation with alcohol or drugs.

Though peer pressure is not usually used to describe socially desirable behaviors, such as exercising or studying, peer pressure can have positive effects in some cases.

Types of Peer Pressure

In reality, peer pressure can be either a positive or negative influence that one peer, or group of peers, has on another person. The following six terms are often used to describe the types of peer pressure a person may experience.

Spoken vs. Unspoken Peer Pressure

As the name suggests, spoken peer pressure is when someone verbally influences another person to do something. For instance, a teenager might influence their friend to smoke a cigarette by saying, "Come on, one cigarette won't hurt."

Unspoken peer pressure, on the other hand, is when no one verbally tries to influence you. However, there is still a standard set by the group to behave in a certain way.

Even if no one tells the teenager to smoke a cigarette in the example above, the teen may still feel pressured by their peers to partake in the activity because it seems like everyone is doing it.

Direct vs. Indirect Peer Pressure

Direct peer pressure is when a person uses verbal or nonverbal cues to persuade someone to do something. The example mentioned above of a teen handing another teen a cigarette is also an instance of direct peer pressure because the teen on the receiving end must decide on the spot how they're going to respond.

With indirect peer pressure, no one is singling you out, but the environment you're in may influence you to do something. If you're at a party where everyone is drinking, for instance, you might feel pressured to drink even if no one asks you to.

Positive vs. Negative Peer Pressure

Finally, peer pressure can be described as either positive or negative. Positive peer pressure is when a person is influenced by others to engage in a beneficial or productive behavior.

Negative peer pressure is the influence a person faces to do something they wouldn't normally do or don't want to do as a way of fitting in with a social group. People often face negative peer pressure to drink alcohol, do drugs, or have sex.

Examples of Peer Pressure

Peer pressure causes people to do things they would not otherwise do with the hope of fitting in or being noticed.

Things people may be peer pressured into doing include:

• Acting aggressively (common among men)
• Bullying others
• Doing drugs
• Dressing a certain way
• Drinking alcohol
• Engaging in vandalism or other criminal activities
• Physically fighting
• Only socializing with a certain group

Peer pressure or the desire to impress their peers can override a teen or tween's fear of taking risks, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Kids. Risky behavior with drugs and/or alcohol may result in the following:

• Alcohol or drug poisoning
• Asphyxiation
• Driving under the influence (of alcohol or other drugs)
• Sexually transmitted diseases

Behavioral Addiction

People can also feel an internal pressure to participate in activities and behaviors they think their peers are doing, which can put them at risk for the following behavioral addictions:

• Food addiction
• Gambling addiction
• Internet addiction
• Sex addiction
• Shopping addiction
• Video game addiction

In the case of teens, parents are rarely concerned about the peer pressure their kids may face to engage in sports or exercise, as these are typically seen as healthy social behaviors. This is OK, as long as the exercise or sport does not become an unhealthy way of coping, excessive to the point of negatively affecting their health, or dangerous (as in dangerous sports).

What starts out as positive peer pressure may become negative pressure if it leads a person to over-identify with sports, for example, putting exercise and competition above all else.

If taken to an extreme, they may develop exercise addiction , causing them to neglect schoolwork and social activities, and ultimately, use exercise and competition in sports as their main outlet for coping with the stresses of life. This can also lead to numerous health consequences.

Examples of Positive Peer Influence

We tend to hear more about the potentially negative effects of peer pressure. But the reality is, peer pressure can be positive. For instance, two friends might put positive pressure on each other to go to the gym together and stay accountable for their fitness goals.

Teens who volunteer in their community can keep each other motivated to participate. This involvement can lead to exposure to role models and eventually lead to the teens becoming positive role models themselves.

You can also positively peer pressure others by the way you respond to situations. For instance, if your friend is body-shaming another person, you can say, "Actually, it can be really harmful to criticize people's bodies like that."

In turn, your friend might reconsider criticizing people based on their appearance. By simply adhering to your own values and sharing them with a friend, you can positively peer pressure them to think before making a negative comment.

Parental Influence vs. Peer Pressure

Although parents worry about the influence of peers, overall, parents also can have a strong influence on whether children succumb to negative peer pressure.

Rather than worrying about the effects of their children's friendships, parents would do well to focus on creating a positive, supportive home environment. That way, even if your child is peer pressured to do something they don't want to do, they'll feel comfortable coming to you to talk about it first.

Role modeling good emotional self-regulation may also help your child stick to their own values when it comes to peer pressure. Self-regulation involves the ability to control thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in order to manage current behavior and achieve long-term goals.

This will teach your child positive ways of solving problems and coping with uncomfortable feelings, rather than trying to escape by doing things to fit into a crowd. Peer pressure to take potentially harmful risks can be balanced by parents ensuring that they set appropriate boundaries, provide support, and help to avoid risks. A few examples:

• Pick up your child from events where alcohol or drugs may have been consumed.
• Provide balanced, truthful information on issues such as alcohol and drug use.
• Stay involved in your child's life. Believe it or not, you are one of their biggest influences and they listen when you talk.
• Urge the importance of thinking before doing. Teach teens to ask themselves questions like: Could this harm me or someone else? Will this put my health or safety at risk? Is it legal? What are the long-term consequences for my health, family, education, and future?

Peer Pressure Beyond Childhood

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure because they are at a stage of development when they are separating more from their parents' influence, but have not yet established their own values or understanding about human relationships or the consequences of their behavior.

They are also typically striving for social acceptance and are more willing to engage in behaviors against their better judgment in order to be accepted.

However, adults are also vulnerable to peer pressure. Many adults are susceptible to drinking too much because their friends are doing it, or putting work before family because they're competing with other people in their office for a promotion.

The bottom line: Being aware of, and carefully choosing the influence of peers that will lead to healthy and happy experiences is a lifelong process.

How to Deal With Peer Pressure

Dealing with peer pressure can be difficult, but below are some ways to help address it.

Take Your Time

Instead of quickly agreeing to do something you'd rather not do, pause and take a few deep breaths . If someone is waiting for you to answer them, tell them you need to take a few days and think about it. It's easier to resist the pressure when you put some time and space between yourself and the situation.

Consider Your Reasons

When you're faced with a choice, ask yourself what your reasons are for doing something. If it's because all of your friends are doing it and you're afraid they won't talk to you if you don't join them, then you may want to reconsider.

You deserve to surround yourself with supportive people who respect your decisions—not people who pressure you into doing something that doesn't feel right.

Set Boundaries

Saying "no" can be hard, but it's necessary to set healthy boundaries in relationships. If someone persistently pressures you to do something, you can try telling them how it affects you.

For instance, you might say something like, "It upsets me when you offer me a cigarette when you know I don't smoke. I won't be able to keep hanging out with you if you don't respect my answer."

Offer an Alternative

It's possible that a friend who is peer pressuring you simply wants to spend more time with you or connect with you, but they don't know how else to ask.

If they pressure you to do shots with them at the bar when you aren't drinking, for example, you might suggest that you both hit the dance floor instead. Or maybe, you make a plan to go on a hike or to the movies the next time you hang out. That way, you're fulfilling both of your needs in a mutually beneficial way.

Graupensperger SA, Benson AJ, Evans MB. Everyone else is doing it: The association between social identity and susceptibility to peer influence in NCAA athletes .  J Sport Exerc Psychol . 2018;40(3):117-127. doi:10.1123/jsep.2017-0339

Morris H, Larsen J, Catterall E, et al.  Peer pressure and alcohol consumption in adults living in the UK: A systematic qualitative review .  BMC Public Health.  2014;20:1014. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09060-2

Clark DA, Donnellan MB, Durbin CE, et al. Sex, drugs, and early emerging risk: Examining the association between sexual debut and substance use across adolescence . PLoS ONE. 2020;15(2):e0228432. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0228432

Stanaland A, Gaither S. “Be a man”: The role of social pressure in eliciting men’s aggressive cognition . Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2021;47(11):1596-1611. doi:10.1177/0146167220984298

Sabramani V, Idris IB, Ismail H, Nadarajaw T, Zakaria E, Kamaluddin MR. Bullying and its associated individual, peer, family and school factors: Evidence from Malaysian National Secondary School students .  Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2021;18(13):7208. doi:10.3390/ijerph18137208

Kim J, Fletcher JM. The influence of classmates on adolescent criminal activities in the United States .  Deviant Behav . 2018;39(3):275-292. doi:10.1080/01639625.2016.1269563

National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens. Why Does Peer Pressure Influence Teens To Try Drugs? .

Pamela Rackow, Urte Scholz, Rainer Hornung.  Received social support and exercising: An intervention study to test the enabling hypothesis .  British Journal of Health Psychology , 2015;20(4):763. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12139

Vogel L. Fat shaming is making people sicker and heavier .  CMAJ . 2019;191(23):E649. doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-5758

Dhull P, Beniwal RD. Dealing with peer pressure . Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal. 2017;7.

By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada.  

When Peer Pressure Is a Good Thing

Zócalo Public Square is a magazine of ideas from Arizona State University Knowledge Enterprise.

I n every classroom, there is a kind of tipping point when the unmotivated students either get pulled along by the high achievers, or the unmotivated students hold the high achievers back.

I see this all the time teaching English at Coachella Valley High School in Southern California’s Inland Empire. Most of my students come from low-income households, have had to learn English as a second language, and hope to be the first in their families to go to college. They’ve been told since they were in elementary school that higher education is their ticket to a better life, and many have come to believe this.

But high school is a big place, full of distractions. For many, school becomes about socializing, partying and striving to fit in. Other students are stressed by balancing school with a relationship, by responsibilities at home, or by a part-time job. Added to these pressures is the anxiety caused by the daunting cost of higher education. As a result of all these pressures—and low expectations—too few students are truly prepared for college by the time they graduate.

One way to keep our students focused on college is to make them aware of Advanced Placement courses as early as possible. Currently, we offer 14 AP courses at Coachella Valley High, from calculus to Spanish literature. While I know that our very highest achievers are going to take these courses and succeed, I believe that for the majority of students, the cultural mindset of their classmates is just as important as the educator in the front of the classroom. The sooner that students with college ambitions take such courses, the better they’ll be prepared for the rigors of college. And the more we can grow the AP program at our school, the more students will share goals and values—and this high-achieving mindset.

So this last November we formed the Coachella Valley High School Advanced Placement Club to support AP and future AP students and encourage more people to take these classes. How we would do this, I wasn’t quite sure at first, but I agreed to be the advisor anyway. Maybe we could use my room as a study hall after school. Maybe club members would want to raise money for college field trips. Maybe we could all get T-shirts.

Mostly seniors and juniors—along with a few sophomores—packed into my classroom after school for our first meeting. We elected officers, approved our constitution, and formed our first committees: fundraising, T-shirts, and freshman awareness. We decided to meet on a weekly basis and then adjourned so that the committees could meet separately to discuss ideas and plans.

And then this wonderful thing happened. About 20 of the students who’d stayed for the freshman awareness committee gathered in a rough circle of chairs. Itcelia, a senior in my AP English literature class and our newly elected vice president, asked, “What do you know now that you wish someone had told you as a freshman?”

And then they all started sharing. I sat at my desk in the back of the room and just listened. They discussed the benefits of honors and AP classes, the importance of homework and time management, and the need to balance academics with activities, clubs, sports, community service, and so on. It was amazing. Here was a cross section of our school’s highest achievers made up of a diversity of personality types and interests—not just the “nerd herd” but the drama kids, the artists, the athletes, the cheerleaders, the class officers, and students from career academies—building a master plan for high school success.

They decided to bring that plan to the freshmen themselves. By the next meeting, Itcelia had contacted an administrator and gotten freshman teachers’ permission to give presentations in their classrooms. She and the other freshman awareness committee members created a PowerPoint slideshow. Club members volunteered to present based on which of their own classes they could afford to miss.

After the presentations, the students gathered to debrief. Some of them had spoken to the freshmen about resisting the pressure to dumb down in order to stay popular, or to get someone to like you. Itcelia was thrilled that during one of her presentations a freshman girl had shared that she liked a boy until she found out he didn’t know the difference between your and you’re. “Smart is the new sexy,” someone in the group said, defining the moment and themselves.

Surprisingly, one of the groups met resistance from a teacher who thought they were being unrealistic in encouraging students to take as many AP classes as possible. But Itcelia, presently enrolled in four AP classes, active in several clubs and community service projects, and in rehearsals for the school’s production of Grease , passionately disagreed. She remembered that when she was a freshman, some upperclassmen tried to discourage her from taking AP classes, saying they were too demanding and wouldn’t leave room for anything else. “But that just isn’t true,” she said. “It’s all about setting priorities and managing your time.”

The success of the presentations inspired me to create a club website with links to information on AP courses, colleges, careers, admission tests, financial aid, and scholarships.

The site also includes a weekly blog featuring essays from teachers, counselors, alumni, community professionals, and fellow students. Many wrote about their own paths to college and the fears and obstacles they had to overcome, and others about the importance of reading or the value of stories in the community. One student wrote about the need for academic rivalries and another published a poem on immigration. We gave away T-shirts that display our blog address alongside inspirational quotes from authors and civil rights leaders or witty slogans like, “You had me at your proper use of you’re.” We got more freshmen to join the club, and at meetings we had great discussions that often began with questions for seniors from underclassmen, particularly juniors looking ahead at their last year of high school.

This next year, with new seniors and a clearer sense of direction, we will build on these successes. We want to increase membership, raise money for college field trips, and encourage more students to interact with and write for our blog.

High school peer pressure can work in positive as well as negative ways, and individual success is often the result of a community of support. With the help of student leaders like Itcelia, who, by the way, graduated as class salutatorian and will attend UC Berkeley in the fall, I believe we can continue to tip the scales of academic motivation in the right direction.

Philip Hoy is a high school English teacher by day and short-story author, novelist, and blogger by night. When he is not creating lesson plans or grading essays, he is writing. He lives in Southern California with his wife Magdalena, also a teacher. This article was written for Zócalo Public Square and is supported by a grant from the California Wellness Foundation

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Peer Pressure Causes and Resistance Essay

Peer pressure is an important problem for teenagers. The primary reason behind it is the need to belong. At a particular age, a teenager starts to feel a need to figure out their identities and belong to a particular group. Often, group members are required to behave in a certain way. They feel pressure from other peers if they do not do it. Such conflicts can negatively affect children’s psychological and social behavior. Therefore, it is highly important to understand the reasons for peer pressure and possible ways to withstand it.

One of the most popular types of peer pressure is forcing someone to smoke or use alcohol or drugs (MacArthur et al. 392). It is a widespread situation when a teenager starts to practice unhealthy behavior under the pressure of peers of their group. For example, let us imagine Jack, who is forced to smoke by his friends John and James.

It is important to understand that there are several ways to resist the pressure. First of all, everyone who feels peer pressure should remember that he or she has a right to say “no” to other people if he or she does not want to do something (“20 Ways to Avoid Peer Pressure”). Thus, the most effective way for Jack to refuse to smoke is to say “no.” If it is necessary, he should repeat this “no” several times. He should look into his friends’ eyes and be confident.

Also, it is important for Jack to avoid situations that are bringing him under peer pressure, for example, parties where people smoke (“20 Ways to Avoid Peer Pressure”). If Jack does not stay in a company where everybody smokes, he will not feel the pressure to do it. However, this measure could be a way to isolation. Thus, Jack should not avoid all social activities.

Jack could feel afraid that he would lose his friends, but it is not the only possible outcome. For example, he could ask John and James why they smoke, how long they do it, what benefits they obtain from smoking (“20 Ways to Avoid Peer Pressure”). A dialog is a good way to resist the pressure because, in dialogs, peers’ roles can change, and a victim can become a leader. If it does not help, and Jack continues to feel pressure, it is possible for him to find support from other teenagers who do not smoke (“20 Ways to Avoid Peer Pressure”). In this situation, Jack will not be alone.

Finally, Jack can find other friends who do not smoke and/or do not want him to do that (“20 Ways to Avoid Peer Pressure”). These friends will accept Jack’s personality and will not want him to change, which is the most important in a friendship. In conclusion, everyone could use the refusal skills to say “no” and not to do something against one’s will.

Works Cited

“20 Ways to Avoid Peer Pressure.” Your Life Counts , 2017, Web.

MacArthur, Georgie J., et al. “Peer‐led Interventions to Prevent Tobacco, Alcohol and/or Drug Use among Young People Aged 11–21 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis.” Addiction, vol. 111, no. 3, 2016, pp. 391-407.

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Essay on Peer Pressure for Students in English [500+ Words]

January 2, 2021 by Sandeep

Essay on Peer Pressure: Building up of negative influences within young adolescent minds to excel among peers is called peer pressure. It can create disturbed mind patterns and lead a person to suicidal thoughts, stress and depression. The outcome of such behaviour can negatively alter a person’s behaviour. It may misguide him to consume alcohol and drugs and risk his own life. It may also lead to anti-social behaviours amongst teenagers pushing them into criminal activities.

Essay on Peer Pressure 500 Words in English

Below we have provided Peer Pressure Essay in English, suitable for class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

It’s Better To Walk Alone Than With A Crowd Going In The Wrong Direction. – Diane Grant

Human beings are social animals. We all make a lot of relations in our life. In choosing some relationships, we do not have a choice, but for some others, we do. Making friends and hanging out with them at school and other places is fun but we need to choose our friends wisely. Suppose your friend calls you to the basement stairs of the school and asks you to share a cigarette with him. You deny it. But then he says that if you do not smoke, he will spread your secrets in the whole class. This is known as peer pressure.

It is getting someone to do something that they might not like to do or might not be comfortable doing. Peer pressure is not always bad. Sometimes, it even makes you want to put in more effort and reach your potential. Positive peer pressure is beneficial and healthy, but it is the negative side of it, that can prove to be harmful. School children and teenagers are more prone to peer pressure. This is the age where they indulge themselves in alcohol, smoking, drugs, ragging, beating up others, stealing and what not!

Hence, it becomes necessary first to identify when we are trying to be peer pressured. We should know how to recognise when someone is trying to make us a victim of this. Whenever you feel like this, remember to ask yourself some questions. Is this right what they are asking me to do? Does it feel wrong to me? Am I uncomfortable while doing this? Would I still do this if my parents or some adult were around? There are many ways in which your friends can pressurise you. They may blackmail, threaten or even bribe you. But you should know what is right for you and that saying “NO” has so much power.

Negative Effects of Peer Pressure

Peer pressure can harm us. It results in grades at school getting lowered, a disrespect towards our parents, teachers and other adults, resorting to violent or aggressive acts and bunking or skipping classes. It may even lead to us getting addicted to various harmful substances and becoming insensitive towards others and their feelings. Imagine that you are playing with your friends in the park and your parents have told you to be back home by 7:00 p.m. But as soon as you say to your friends that you are leaving, one of them forces you to come to his house to play video games.

He says that if you do not agree to go, then you and he are no longer friends. What do you do in such a situation? Do you give in and go to his house and disobey your parents? Or do you make him understand that you must be home today and maybe tomorrow you can come to his house after taking permission from your mom and dad? There are numerous ways to resist peer pressure, and we should not hesitate to take them. We can simply walk away and even warn others about the consequences of what they are doing. We can say no firmly and also call for an adult in situations we feel that require their help.

Positive Effects of Peer Pressure

On the opposite side, we have good or positive peer pressure which is beneficial for us. If your friends do social work or volunteering, it is apparent that you too would want to indulge in such an activity. Say suppose at the time of after school activities, your friends already in a school sports team encourage you to join in. This is positive peer pressure because on the field; you get to collaborate and work together as a team. Thus, spending your time productively. If you have friends who encourage you to study more when your marks dip, then you indeed have found good friends who look out for you.

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The Morning

How peer pressure affects voting.

Why some voters of color no longer support the Democratic Party.

By David Leonhardt

The political scientists Chryl Laird and Ismail White used a creative strategy several years ago to study the voting patterns of Black Americans. Laird and White took advantage of the fact that some surveys are conducted through in-person interviews — and keep track of the interviewer’s race — while other surveys are done online.

In the online surveys that Laird and White examined, about 85 percent of Black respondents identified as Democrats. The share was almost identical during in-person surveys done by non-Black interviewers. But when Black interviewers conducted in-person surveys, more than 95 percent of Black respondents identified as Democrats.

It is a fascinating pattern: Something about talking with a person of the same race makes Black Americans more likely to say they are Democrats. As Laird and White concluded, voting for Democrats has been a behavioral norm in Black communities. People feel social pressure from their neighbors, relatives and friends to support the Democratic Party.

Similar social pressure exists in other communities, of course. A liberal who attends a white evangelical Southern church — or a conservative who lives in an upscale Brooklyn neighborhood — knows the feeling. And Laird and White emphasized in their 2020 book, “Steadfast Democrats,” that Black Americans have behaved rationally by sticking together. It has allowed them to assert political influence despite being a minority group. Consider that President Biden’s vice president and his only Supreme Court pick are both Black.

Still, the political unity of Black Americans is surprising in some ways. “Although committed to the Democratic Party, African Americans are actually one of the most conservative blocs of Democratic supporters,” White and Laird wrote.

One important thing about behavioral norms, though, is that they can change. If voting Republican becomes more acceptable in Black communities, the number of moderate and conservative Black Americans who do so could rise quickly.

Ideology vs. identity

This newsletter is the second in a two-part series on the recent rightward shift of Black, Asian and Hispanic voters . Today, I want to look at possible explanations.

The first is the social dynamic that White and Laird described. It also applies to Asian and Hispanic voters. Across minority groups, voting Republican recently seems to have become more acceptable.

“Nonwhite Americans who previously may have voted Democrat for identity-based reasons are increasingly likely to vote more sincerely according to their conservative ideology,” Emily West, a political scientist at the University of Pittsburgh, told Thomas Edsall of Times Opinion.

The second explanation is that today’s Democratic Party is out of step with the views of many voters of color, especially working-class voters. On some issues, the problem fits a simple right-left framing: Democrats are to the left of most voters.

Even when elected Democrats are more moderate, the party’s image is shaped by highly educated progressives who have an outsize voice because they dominate higher education, the entertainment industry and parts of the media and nonprofit sectors. It’s worth remembering, as the Pew Research Center has reported, that the most liberal slice of Americans is disproportionately white :

Voters of color are often more moderate. They are more religious on average than progressive Democrats. Most voters of color favor tighter border security . Many support expansions of charter schools or vouchers. Many favor both police reform and more policing. Many support civil rights for trans Americans — but not allowing all athletes to choose whether they participate in female or male sports.

Racial minorities, as Marc Hetherington of the University of North Carolina told Thomas Edsall, “are much more tradition-minded and authority-minded” than white Democrats.

Other political issues are more nuanced than a right-left framing. Ro Khanna, a Democratic congressman from California, has suggested that voters of color may be frustrated with his party’s lack of a bold economic vision, and that’s plausible. Many working-class voters lean to the right on social issues and to the left on economic issues (but not so far left as to be intrigued by socialism). They favor a higher minimum wage, trade restrictions and expanded government health insurance.

Biden favors these policies, too. But Democrats have come to be seen as the party of the establishment, my colleague Nate Cohn notes. Many working-class voters see Democrats as socially liberal defenders of the status quo. Republicans, especially Donald Trump, increasingly seem to represent change, as ill-defined as that change may be.

Political diversity

My list here isn’t exhaustive. ( Here is Nate’s list .) Some voters of color, like white voters, also seem frustrated by recent price increases and worried about Biden’s age. And voters of color are obviously a politically diverse group, who include many liberals and who have a wide array of views.

But that’s the point. Many Democrats have imagined people of color to be a uniform, loyal, progressive group, defined by their race. They are not. The party will have a better chance to win their votes if it spends more time listening to what these voters believe.

Related: I tell the story of modern U.S. immigration policy in an episode of Freakonomics Radio called “What both parties get wrong about immigration.”

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She suggests visiting in winter — “a quiet and thrifty time of year” — and enjoying parks and preserves. You can find unsung hotels in the old part of Monterey, like the Hotel Abrego ($130 a night), with an easy walk to the lively downtown area. And splurge on the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is worth the $60 admission.

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The novelist Lorrie Moore won a National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction for “I Am Homeless if This Is Not My Home.” Read more about the book .

THE MORNING RECOMMENDS …

Top these delicious doubles with mint-cilantro chutney or tamarind sauce.

Cultivate a healthier relationship with your phone .

Wear a good raincoat .

Snuggle into a throw blanket .

Take our news quiz .

Here is today’s Spelling Bee . Yesterday’s pangrams were detoxified and toxified .

And here are today’s Mini Crossword , Wordle , Sudoku and Connections .

Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David

P.S. Jess Bidgood is rejoining The Times to lead the On Politics newsletter .

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David Leonhardt runs The Morning , The Times’s flagship daily newsletter. Since joining The Times in 1999, he has been an economics columnist, opinion columnist, head of the Washington bureau and founding editor of the Upshot section, among other roles. More about David Leonhardt