Peer Pressure is good for Self-development

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Peer Pressure is good for Self-development

Outline

1. Introduction:

Definition: a peer is an individual of equal status, belonging to a common social group, and providing companionship to other individuals in the same group.

1. Thesis:

Societies commonly associate peer pressure with negative outcomes like drug abuse and moral decadence. However, positive peer pressure can assist individuals in developing self-confidence, esteem, courage, belongingness, morality, and legal conformity.

• Elements of positive peer pressure.
  1. Leads to the development of courage and self-confidence.
  2. Prevents individuals from engaging in harmful activities.
  3. Gives a sense of belonging and helps develop a culture of truth.

1. Elements of negative peer pressure.
   1. Makes individuals disobey parents, morality, religious expectations, and state laws.
   2. Can lead to deviance and indiscipline.
   3. Responsible for drug, substance, and alcohol abuse.
2. How to improve through positive peer pressure.
   1. Socializing and learning from others.
   2. Finding role models to emulate and gaining access to good counsel.
3. Conclusion:

Positive peer groups motivate, encourage, and guide individuals to success. They make people skilful, focussed, open, brave, and morally upright.

Peer Pressure is good for Self-Development

Introduction

The word ‘peer’ defines an individual of equal status to others, belonging to a common group, and providing some sense of companionship to other individuals (Petersen 60). Peer groups get determined by parameters of age, school grades, origin, social belonging, and societal status. When the norms and activities of such groups affect the decisions of an individual, such effect is referred to as peer pressure. Members of a peer group may attract those opposed to their activities to behave in a way acceptable to them. On other occasions, a peer may adopt certain characteristics in order to feel a sense of belonging to the group (Feller 24). Societies commonly associate peer pressure with negative outcomes like drug abuse and moral decadence. However, positive peer pressure can assist individuals in developing self-confidence, esteem, courage, belongingness, morality, and legal conformity.

Elements of Positive Peer Pressure

Negative company corrupts ethical and morally upright individuals. On the contrary, good company can help individuals in developing courage, avoiding bad habits, engaging in activities aimed at positive outcomes. According to Feller, many individuals who are uncertain, unconfident, and anxious may reverse these feelings by joining groups whose qualities contrast these (26). A classic example of this is the case of a pupil who has always failed in exams, had no opportunity to play any game, and believed they are non-achievers. In the event that such a student joins a football team and begins to play, they will develop friends from the team and begin to identify with them. If the team wins a number of games, the student may be at the pitching point and participate in the actual scoring of goals. Because the team will consider itself a winning team, all its members will also view themselves as winners. Thus, the student may begin a self-reconsideration process as a winner rather than a loser. In the end, positive peer pressure assists such personalities to become more focussed, courageous, and self-confident.

In a similar way, the influence of members of a peer group can stop an individual from engaging in negative activities. As explained by Juzwiak, the charm of a peer group on an individual is so astounding that they find themselves complying with the demands and ideals of such groups. In the event that one joins a religious group, his activities will reflect ideals related to the same. Ordinarily, he will be concerned with church activities and virtuous deeds. This is contrary to the case of a person left without support. Additionally, positive and constructive peers may persuade one to desist from evil and non-constructive tendencies (16).

By joining groups with a positive focus, students and others develop numerous other virtues. This can be seen in the achievement of open-mindedness, belongingness, and the act of truth-telling. Most individuals who engage in evil and later join positively focussed groups feel more wanted and have a better approach to life. In this perspective, they also develop numerous skills through interaction with others. Such skills assist them in surviving and achieving life goals positively (Feller 34). In summation, individuals experiencing positive peer pressure become motivated, self-confident, more enthusiastic, encouraged, and more open in relating with other members of their groups and the societies.

Elements of Negative Peer Pressure

Although the composition and attractions of negative peer pressure are similar to those of positive pressure, the drives, attractions, and outcomes differ significantly. Many individuals who succumb to negative peer pressure end up with moral decadence and numerous aspects of truancy. In general, negative peer pressure always makes individuals disobey parents, morality, religious expectations, and state laws (Scott 10).

As explained by Slavens and Ben, the common goal of negative peer pressure is to secretly engage in acts that could not be publicly permitted. As a result, it always ends in an intention to cause harm, some form of deviance, and indiscipline. Members of negative peer groups end up acquiring negative personalities that do not obey laws, are mischievous, and ill-intended in their approaches (61).

Because of extreme negativity, many end up in drug, substance, and alcohol abuse. According to Cohen, many youths and adults experiment with drugs for a number of reasons. These include peer pressure, the desire to identify with various societal classes, the need to get relief from boredom, addiction, attempts to escape from problems, and the general belief that drugs make individuals relaxed and blissful (43). Notably, most of these reasons are driven by negative peer pressure. However, most people remain ignorant of the potential risks posed by the drugs they consume. As indicated by Chasnoff, the classification of drugs presents three broad categories. These encompass stimulants, sedatives, and hallucinogens. The highest amount of risk in experimenting with drugs occurs when expectant mothers consume drugs. This is because such activities pose a danger to the mother as well as the unborn child (28). Other potential risks include sexual dysfunction, brain damage, kidney poisoning, cancers, and many other diseases (Cohen 54).

How to Improve through Positive Peer Pressure

When individuals join good groups, they stand better chances of gaining personal and social development. They learn how to work with others and diversify their approaches to different societal issues. Since groups consist of personalities from different cultures, they allow their members to socialize and learn from one another. Through this, members overcome fear, comply with the law, develop friendships, and access positive advice (Scott 23).

As a response to negative peer pressure, individuals who depart from negative groups and join positive ones easily overcome their past challenges. This is because they gain self-confidence and learn from others. By seeing other successful members, they find role models to emulate. Children in positive groups also have easy access to adult and parental support (Slavens and Ben 27). In general, positive peer pressure ensures that individuals broaden their approaches to issues and develop into successful personalities by leading virtuous lives.

Conclusion

There is overwhelming evidence that negative peer pressure leads to deviance, non-conformity to moral expectations, and general engagement in evil. Because of this, the society places a lot of emphasis on negative peer pressure. However, when used in the right way, peer pressure can be beneficial and good for self-development. Examples of good peer groups include church choirs, volunteer groups, and games teams where virtuous morals are esteemed. Such groups motivate, encourage, and guide individuals to success. They make people skilful, focussed, open, brave, and morally upright.

Works Cited

Chasnoff, Ira. The Mystery of Risk: Drugs, Alcohol, Pregnancy, and the Vulnerable Child. Chicago: NTI Upstream, 2010. Print.

Cohen, Julian. Drugs: Life Files. London: Evans, 2000. Print.

Feller, Robyn M. Everything You Need to Know About Peer Pressure. New York: Rosen Publications Group, 2001. Print.

Juzwiak, Richard. Frequently Asked Questions about Peer Pressure. New York: Rosen Publishers, 2009. Print.

Petersen, Katia. Activities for Building Character and Social-Emotional Learning. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Pub, 2012. Print.

Scott, Sharon. Peer Pressure Reversal: An Adult Guide to Developing a Responsible Child. Amherst, Mass: HRD Press, Incorporated, 1985. Print.

Slavens, Elaine, and Ben Shannon. Peer Pressure: Deal with It Without Losing Your Cool. Toronto, Ontario: James Lorrimer Publishers, 2004. Print.