EFFECT OF PEER PRESSURE OF STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE...

CHAPTER TWO Introduction Peers become an important influence on behavior during adolescence, and peer pressure has been called a hallmark of an adolescent experience. Peer conformity in young people is most pronounced with respect to style, taste, appearance, ideology, and values. Peer pressure is commonly associated with episodes of adolescent risk taking (such as delinquency, drug abuse, sexual behaviors, and reckless driving) because these activities commonly occur in the company of peers. Affiliation with friends who engage in risk behaviors has been shown to be a strong predictor of an adolescents own behavior. However, peer pressure can also have positive effects when youth are pressured by their peers toward positive behavior,†¦show more content†¦Pre-teens and teenagers face many issues related to conformity and peer pressure. They are pulled between the desire to be seen as individuals of unique value and the desire to belong to a group where they feel secure and accepted. The result is that often teens reject family or general society values, while feeling pressure to conform rigidly to the values of their peer group. An example of this phenomenon is seen when young people join gangs. In joining the gang they are rejecting the communitys way of dressing and behaving. Yet to belong to the gang, they must conform to the gangs own style of dress, behaviour, and speech. (Kellie B. Gormly, Peer Pressure -- for students and adults -- can be positive, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 18, 2013.) However, its something most parents dont want to hear, but the sad fact is that the most influential people in your teens life are their friends. Most parents like to think that they have some say in what their teenage child does, but the truth is that most parents sorely underestimate the power of peer pressure. Peer pressure can turn a perfectly level headed child into class-cutting, insolent, problem child. Why is this? Well, several reasons. First teens are not children, and theyre not adults so you cant use either form of psychology on them. A teens body is under the powerful thrall of hormones. Youre not dealing with a rational person. Hormones are powerful chemicals,