PEER PRESSURE IS MORE HARMFUL THAN BENEFECIAL

Teenagers nowadays changed in comparison with the past, they are now more

active especially in the way of living life. Considering that nowadays generation are

more active and adventurous and considering the fact that our world right now is in

chaos and danger, we can also say that their life is at risk. One of the ways that can

make and influence the teenagers in a different ways of living is the peer pressure. Peer

pressure is a social pressure by members of one’s peer group to take a certain action and

adopt certain value (dictionary.com). Peer pressure is when you are influenced by other

people (your peers) to act in a certain way. If you're with friends who are doing

something that you typically would not do and they convince you to do what they are

doing, that is an example of peer pressure (Heberle). Therefore peer pressure is the

influence of one’s peer group.

Peer pressure is very evident in our society. In every corner of our society we can

see that peers are everywhere. Moreover, peer pressure brings either harmful or

benefecial effects in one’s life. This pressure can affect the child mentally, physically and

socially.

Peer pressure have a positive influence on each others behaviors. This means that

peer pressure can also be benefecial depends on the peers that they are sorrounded

by.It can create shared standards of behavior to help group members interact.It also
strenghten group ties by giving members a common social identity (ic.galegroup.com,

t.thn.). Therefore, peer pressure can increase one’s confidence. They are also the ones

that expose individual to the real world and they can also help an individual to make

right decisions in life.

However, there are many statistics and surveys that prove that peer pressure

brings harmful effects .Most of them proves that peer pressure is more harmful than

benefecial.According to (Teens.LovetoKnow.com, t.thn.), some of the effects on a person

is when dealing with negative peer pressure are Low Self-Esteem.When a person's

peers mock him/her, or make them feel bad, this person becomes insecure. They begin

to feel down and rejected. They feel as if they are worthless to the world. In this way

they will do everything just to be accepted by the world and her/his group. At this

point, teens will experience an increased pressure from others to make a certain choices

in their lives, often without getting much advice from an adult. Peer pressure also

affects academic performances since peers are more demanding especially in time

which makes them left with no choice but to leave their study. Their academics are

affected because despite of being capable of performing well, they choose not to

because in the eyes of their peers it makes them look ‘uncool’. Also, their academics are

affected because in an effort to fit in with their peer group, they place more emphasis on

being social rather than working on their academics. It also affects relationship with the

family in where they now don’t have time to be with their family because peers

pressure them to do so.

 Peer pressure draws teenagers completely away from their family and friends.

Also peer pressure leads teenagers to have bad habits such as drinking, smoking,

clubbing, taking drugs and sex. It is the most common and dangerous effects that peer

pressure brings. According to the (peerpressurestatistics.org), a study made by

American Association shows that 3.2 million of American teens smoke and 52% of this

teens learned to smoke through peers group. It only proves how influential peer

pressure is.Also, peer pressure can lose someone’s lifestyle and will entirely adopt their

peers’ way of living. They will no longer follow their own taste and are forced to like

what their peers like and do what they do. This is how peer pressure can yield a wide

array of negative outcomes in life.

Peer pressure is something that can’t be easily avoided; it is powerful and

influential.However, peer pressure have both positive and negative effects but in many

studies and surveys negative effects is more influential than positive.Since it is more

harmful than benefecial then teens or individuals needs to be more careful especially

that the world nowadays is very dangerous. Because of this, it is important that an

individual should have the ability to make choices in every peer pressures. They need

to be wise in making decisions especially in choosing the right peers.

References

(t.thn.). Diambil kembali dari http://www.dictionary.com/browse/peer-pressure:

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/peer-pressure

(t.thn.). Diambil kembali dari debate.org: http://www.debate.org/?q=peer%20pressure

(t.thn.). Diambil kembali dari teens.lovetoknow.com:

http://teens.lovetoknow.com/Statistics_on_Peer_Pressure

(t.thn.). Diambil kembali dari Teens.LovetoKnow.com: http://teens.lovetoknow.com/peer-pressure

(t.thn.). Diambil kembali dari Peerpressurestatistic.org: http://peerpressurestatistic.org/- peer-pressure-

result

(t.thn.). Diambil kembali dari ic.galegroup.com: http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/-

referencedetailsPage/DocumentTools

/theteachersdigest.com. (t.thn.). Diambil kembali dari http://theteachersdigest.com/6-ways-in-which-

children-are-negatively-affected-by-peer-pressure/

dictionary.com. (t.thn.). Diambil kembali dari http://www.dictionary.com/browse/peer-pressure

Heberle, M. (t.thn.). study.com. Diambil kembali dari http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-peer-

pressure-definition-lesson-quiz.html