The Role of Peer Pressure in Adolescents
Lillie Damen
Chapman University
As my 10 year old daughter approaches adolescence, I can’t help to wonder how much of what I consider “hands-on parenting” will play a part in the way she chooses to cope with peer pressure. My hypothesis is that in spite of the strong bond, open communication, and involved parenting style, our influence as parents, will become less effective, whereas her peers become more influential. I do believe, and hope to prove through this research, that all these attributes that have contributed to a higher self-esteem, will also make her less likely to accede to negative influences and risky behavior.
Peer pressure refers to the influence exerted by a group considered to be of the same age or maturity level. It is the pressure to behave or act in a certain way, in order to conform or belong to a group. This behavior can be seen early in childhood. A child may do something that they might not necessarily do on their own. For instance, they see a more aggressive child in the playground and they decide to do the same by hitting and pushing, not necessarily knowing why they are doing it (Dr. Charles Sophy, 2007). It could be for different reasons, like the attention they are getting from their parents and/or peers. Adolescent peer pressure, as perceived by most people, is usually in the form of negative cohersion. It can lead to experimentation with alcohol, unprotected sex, drugs, truancy and other behaviors that are considered to be high-risk. However, peer influence can also be positive (Wikipedia Foundation, 2009). While some peer groups encourage negative behaviors, there are others who strongly discourage these and encourage involvement in other activities, such as sports, music, academic achievement, etc. Peer pressure is a very real and important factor in adolescent development. It is a time of self-discovery, and also a time when adolescents are learning “the principles of fairness and justice by working through disagreements with peers” (Santrock, 2008).
Although peer relations exist and are important in early childhood, there is an increase in the amount of time adolescents spend with their peers. There is also a “shift in the significance and structure of these relationships” (Sherk). Not only do adolescents spend more of their waking hours with peers than with family members, but most of these group interactions lack adult supervision, unlike in childhood ones. Adolescents are involved in after-school activities and/or come from families where parents are at work and they are expected to be responsible and on their own afterschool. According to the study, Latchkey children and susceptibility to peer pressure: An ecological analysis, the subjects who had less adult supervision were more susceptible to participate in antisocial activities. Additionally, those who were home alone were less susceptible to those who were at a friend’s house after-school. The data is based on a study which surveyed a sample of 865 adolescents in grades 5-9 (Steinberg, 2009).
The 1950s are an important time period to examine when studying adolescent behavior. This was when the term Teenager was created, due to the large population of those in this age bracket (Cox). Adolescents were earning their own incomes and, therefore, becoming more independent. They were able to purchase, among other things, their own clothes and music. This also gave them independence in their style and type of music to which they listened. They no longer listened to the same music as their parents! A booming economy after World War II, along with parents’ desire for their children to do better than they did, resulted in an increased number of teenagers attending college. They now had more money and time to spend with peers. All these factors and a new found independence often resulted in conflict with parents (Cox). New media, like radio and television played on these relationships; often times portraying teenagers as rebellious and as if peers were more important and influential than their parents.
The belief that parents have little or no influence on their adolescent children is something that is still present in our society. This attitude, which perhaps leads to negative stereotyping, might contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy. Parents who expect their adolescents to engage in negative, high risk behaviors could be enabling this through negative expectations of their children, and also by not being involved because they feel that there really isn’t anything they can do about it. By believing that rebellious behavior is normal and expected of an adolescent, parents can be sending a message to their children that it is abnormal for a teenager not to behave in this manner. In a study of 250 adolescents, grades 6th and 7th, and their mothers, conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, researchers found that “negative expectations on the part of both parents and children predict more negative behaviors later on” (Walker, 2009). Researchers found that peer pressure to drink alcohol, along with an attitude of indifference (kids will be kids) and poor role modeling by adults were among the top links to teenage drinking.
The results of the latter research can be used to support the theory that parents’ expectations, albeit negative, do influence their child’s behavior. Therefore, parents may have the ability to exert a positive influence on their children’s decision process in peer pressure situations. Setting and communicating positive expectations to adolescents can be a way to achieve this. As parents and educators we also need to define and communicate the consequences of engaging in high-risk behaviors. The data in a study performed by Dr. Emmanuel Knutsche of the Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems in Lausanne, Switzerland, revealed the importance of parents’ influence in teenage drinking. Knutsche and his colleagues surveyed 364 teenagers three times in the period of two years. They found that those Ss who reported drinking at an early age during the first survey were drinking more heavily by the second survey and were at greater risk of developing alcohol-related problems. The results were also important in showing that only teenagers who reported later drinking and “high quality” relationships with their parents were at lower risk of developing alcohol-related problems. Teenagers defined high quality relationships as those in which they could openly communicate with their parents and in which their parents respected their feelings (drugs, 2009).
In my hypothesis I stated that our influence as parents will become less effective and her peers will become more influential. According to Santrock, adolescents do exhibit a strong desire to be with their peers and become independent, but they still live in a world in which their peer and parent relations are still connected (others, 2008). Parental decisions and involvement are vital in adolescents’ decision processes. This study also indicated that adolescents who have less positive relations with their parents tend to have “extreme peer orientation”, which was linked to engaging in high-risk behavior by the eleventh grade (Santrock, 2008).
Extreme peer orientation is definitely something to which I can relate. I grew up in a home where both parents worked and were very accomplished both in their careers and socially. Our family dynamics was not one in which there was a lot of structure or open communication. I spent most of my time nurturing my friendships and engaging in the same activities they did. I don’t remember ever feeling “pressured” to do anything, but whatever my friends did, I did because they were my only point of reference between “good and bad”.
Many studies have shown that parents have more influence on the important decisions. They have more impact on adolescents’ decisions that involve basic life values, religious beliefs, ethical issues, and educational plans. Whereas peers have more influence on day-to-day matters like style, music and choices among friends and leisure activities. This is especially true during middle school and the beginning of high school (Sebald, 2001).
An adolescent with a low self-esteem is more likely to engage in negative social behavior. In general, developmentally, adolescents want to conform. Vulnerability to peer pressure increases amongst teens that have less of a cohesive sense of who they are. They tend to do things to feel connected (others, 2008). Adolescents, and people in general, who have high self-esteem have an easier time at handling conflicts and negative pressures.
The importance of fostering a healthy self-esteem early on in children lies not only on the parents, but also on other influential adults in their lives, such as teachers. A study of 1,500 middle school students in China and the U.S. showed, for both samples, that those students who felt more supported by their teachers tended to have a higher self-esteem than those who didn’t. The study in which they considered students’ perceptions of three aspects of school environment, including teacher support, peer support and opportunity for autonomy, also showed that students in China got more support from teachers and other students than students in the United States (development, 2009). Based on other research presented here, these findings would lead to conclude that their high self-esteem would make Chinese students less susceptible to peer pressure.
So far, I have discussed several topics that I believe to be pertinent in my hypothesis regarding what my daughter’s decision process and experience might be in regards to peer pressure. These include adult supervision, parental influences, both positive and negative; parental involvement and communication, and self-esteem. There is one factor, which cannot be ignored and that is the effect that her biculturalism may or may not have on her decision processes. It is difficult, for several reasons to pull from my personal experience regarding a dual culture. The primary reason is that I came to this country at the age of sixteen, by myself and not speaking the language. Therefore, there were many factors that may have contributed to the feeling of inadequacy, and lack of self-cohesiveness pertaining to my culture.
According to an article released by Science Daily, Latino youth face many risk factors when trying to integrate themselves to the American culture. These risks include higher rates of alcohol and substance abuse, as well as dropping out of school (Media, 2009). Unfortunately, the article as well as the study which will be discussed briefly, doesn’t specify whether the sample included immigrant youth or if they were born and raised in the United States and experienced biculturalism due to their parents’ culture. In this study, researchers interviewed 281 Latino youths regarding lifestyles and mental health. They found that teens who maintain strong ties with their Latino cultures achieved higher grades in school and adapted better socially (Media, 2009). If this factor is relevant in my daughter’s experience it would impact her in a positive way since she has strong ties to both cultures.
Peer pressure is part of the social development in adolescents. Although some peer groups may encourage high-risk behaviors such as alcohol and drug use and poor academic performance, others not only discourage these, but also have positive influences on each other. Therefore as parents, and educators it is important that we don’t form stereotypes about adolescents that may cause us to expect and accept rebellious behavior as “normal”. This is not a time when parents should diminish their involvement in their adolescents’ daily life. There is strong evidence that shows that parental influence is strong in core values, and “high quality” relationships with their parents are important to and desired by adolescents. It is also imperative that we, as parents and educators foster a healthy self-esteem in children. Young people, who have a stronger sense of self and feel competent and worthy, will be less likely to feel the need to conform by engaging in high-risk behaviors.
Works Cited
(2009, November 13). Retrieved November 19, 2009, from Wikipedia Foundation: http://www.wikipedia.com
Cox, E. (n.d.). Teenage Life in the 1950s. Retrieved November 21, 2009, from loti.com: http://loti.com
development, S. f. (2009, September 15). Teacher support is key to self-esteem for Chinese and US youth. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Science Daily: http://sciencedaily.com
Dr. Charles Sophy, M. D. (2007, May 15). How does peer pressure affect young children. (Videojug, Interviewer)
drugs, J. o. (2009, April 27). Good relationship with parents may prevent teen drinking problems. Retrieved November 11, 2009, from Science Dailly: http://sciencedaily.com
Media, S. S. (2009, June 29). Latino teens happier, healthier if families embrace biculturalism. Retrieved November 20, 2009, from Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com
others, D. &. (2008). In J. W. Santrock, Adolescence (pp. 321-322). New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
(2008). In J. W. Santrock, Adolescence (pp. 320-321). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Sebald. (2001). Peer Pressure and Conformity. In L. E. Berk, Development through the lifespan (p. 406). Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon.
Sherk, L. S. (n.d.). Adolescence.
Steinberg, L. (2009). Latchkey children and susceptibility to peer pressure:An ecological analysis. Developmental Psychology , pp. 433-439.
Walker, C. (2009, October 23). Stereotypes can fuel teen misbehavior. Retrieved November 11, 2009, from Science Daily: http//:www.sciencedaily.com
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