Adolescence is an extremely difficult time of life. A vicious assault of hormones frequently provokes temperamental, destructive, reckless, and exasperating behaviors. Teenagers need to cope with a tremendous amount of pressures, and often struggle to get their bearings. Generation gaps are enormous at this point in life, and getting accustomed to one’s surroundings can appear impossible at times.
Peer pressure is a social pressure in which one is urged or encouraged to behave in a particular way by one's peers. Pretty much everyone has to deal with peer pressure at some stage in life.
The destructive effects of peer pressure can be particularly catastrophic in teenagers. Peer groups sometimes promulgate and endorse all sorts of negative and violent behavior. Behaviors commonly associated with peer pressure include:
- Drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes
- Drug use
- Vandalizing or stealing property
- Skipping classes
Studies have shown that affiliation with friends who engage in such behaviors is a strong predictor of an adolescent's own behavior. However, while peer pressure is most commonly associated with negative influences, it can also have positive impacts. If one becomes friends with a group of "good" kids, they are then statistically less likely to engage in negative behaviors themselves.
