Caue and Effects of Peer Pressure - 2128 Words

Jordan LeBlanc Professor Williams English 1301 October 28, 2012 Causes and Effects of Peer Pressure Peer pressure has a much greater effect on adolescent teens than any other factor. Think about it, teens spend more of their waking hours with peers than family members. The interaction is direct, and much more powerful than the influence of teachers and other authority figures. Peer pressure tends to have more of an effect on children with low self-esteem. If a child feels compelled to fit in, the teen may do things that go against his/her beliefs simply to be part of the group. Peer pressure can lead to experimentation with drugs and alcohol, sex, skipping school, and various high risk behaviors. If there is a sudden change in†¦show more content†¦Because teens spend their time at home or school, it is within these confines that the answer to adolescents’ behavior lie. In other words family and school can sometimes cause teens to give in to peer pressure because of an over emphasis on the importance of social adjustment, a lack of interest or communication on the part of parents and teachers and the unrealistic expectations that these entities create. Although the purpose of attending school is to receive an education, it also gives the child the ability to develop new friendships. Most would agree that social interaction but sometimes parents are guilty of over emphasizing this importance. The classroom setting represents not only an educational place but a powerful social context in which the psychological adjustment of children can be affected. Teachers tend to promote social interaction by assigning exercises that require working in pairs or groups. Furthermore, when a teacher spots a child playing alone, they will encourage him or her to join the other children while overlooking the possibility that the child might have preferred to be alone. Thus, from an early age, children are taught to value the importance of social interaction and this value stays with them as they move into the adolescent years. The result is that adolescents come to value their friendships deeply and in some cases more so than their