Under Pressure
Have you ever been pressured into doing things that you didn’t want to do or feel comfortable with by your peers? If so, you have experienced some type of negative peer pressure. How did it affect you? Did it change you in any way?
What is peer pressure? Peer pressure is the influence to behave differently exerted by peers. Negative peer pressure affects teenagers and their emotions and motivations by changing the way they act, the way they live, and the way they make decisions in different types of situations. (Scholastic)
This slideshow below shows and explains the different types of peer pressure, the effects of it, and the potential future of the teens.
Teens feel like they have to change for their peers in order to feel “cool” and accepted. Being peer pressured affects their decisions, makes them take risks, and makes them act like people that they are not. They often go against their own morals just to pleasure someone else.
The video below high school teens explain how they feel about peer pressure as an individual.
In this gif below, this girl has to make a decision. Her friend has offered her a cigarette and now has placed a lighter in front of her wanting her to light her cigar. In her mind, she doesn’t want to smoke but she doesn’t want to seem lame in front of her friends. She knows she shouldn’t, but she feels like she has to so her friends don’t make fun of her.
In the picture below, it shows all of the different ways teens influence other teens into peer pressure with their words. The girls reaction shows that she doesn’t know what to do, and that she is scared.
The picture below summarizes peer pressure and all that is involved with it. All the words around “peer pressure” are connected in some way. The bigger words are the more important words that help define peer pressure and all that comes with it.
In conclusion, negative peer pressure is not good on teenagers. It affects them in more ways than none. Negative peer pressure affects teenagers and their emotions and motivations by changing the way they act, the way they live, and the way they make decisions in different types of situations. Teens shouldn’t be worried about being accepted, being good enough, or doing anything they are uncomfortable with. They should be able to be themselves and do what they want and live there own life without all of the influence around them from their peers. Negative peer pressure isn’t good for teenager’s psychological health. Teens need to be influenced positively. If they are influenced positively, they will live happier, enjoy being around friends, and be more successful.
