When a teen overhears a friend gossiping about another person and then reacts to the gossip, that is indirect peer pressure. Or if a middle schooler learns that the popular kids’ parties include alcohol or drugs, that indirect pressure may prompt them to experiment as a way to gain acceptance. Friendship and peer influences can also affect a girl’s body image, serving as protective social supports, or alternatively as sources of body overconcern. In early adolescence if friends place greater importance on weight and eating, a girl is more likely to have weight concerns herself.

The term “peer” often refers to people one knows in real life and who have a similar social status to oneself. For example, television shows can convey to the public an acceptable way to behave, even though the people on TV do not know every individual they are influencing. As a result, the power and impact of digital peer pressure may vary throughout the world. In the case of teens, parents are rarely concerned about the peer pressure their kids may face to engage in sports or exercise, as these are typically seen as healthy social behaviors. This is OK, as long as the exercise or sport does not become an unhealthy way of coping, excessive to the point of negatively affecting their health, or dangerous (as in dangerous sports). Negative peer pressure is the influence a person faces to do something they wouldn’t normally do or don’t want to do as a way of fitting in with a social group.

Positive vs. Negative Peer Pressure

If colleagues, managers, or other people in the workplace are pressuring you to do something you aren’t comfortable with, speak to human resources or a trusted colleague about it. And if it’s a consistent issue, let someone know so your workplace culture can evolve. It’s not always easy to deal with peer pressure, especially when it’s hard to identify. In the workplace, there’s a difference between encouraging others to do well and encouraging them to change themselves — but the line is thin.

• Peer pressure to use alcohol and drugs can contribute to substance use disorders, potentially leading to addiction.
• Moreover, this effect is specific to ethanol, since no change in drinking is observed when voles are consuming sweetened solutions, instead of alcohol (Anacker, Loftis, & Ryabinin, 2011).
• This can affect all sorts of different groups, but perhaps some of the most susceptible to peer pressure are the groups formed in adolescence.
• In contrast, when leaders emerge randomly, they more likely emerge simultaneously in different communities, a situation that favors global agreement in the network.
• People often face negative peer pressure to drink alcohol, do drugs, or have sex.
• Teens should learn that every action has consequences and that if they do something negative, they will have to face them.
• This pressure resides in a one-on-one interaction; the one being influenced has more opportunity to confront his or her decision against his or her set of beliefs and values.

Cyber peer pressure is any peer pressure that comes from online influences, such as social media and other peers online. This can include cyberbullying, online shaming, or promoting negative behaviors like substance abuse. For example, a teen might feel pressured to take part in a prank online, like sending a nude picture to someone they like or commenting on another person’s posts to bully them. Indirect peer pressure is similar to unspoken pressure in that it is subtle and not explicitly stated but can still strongly influence an impressionable young individual. For instance, when a teen overhears their friend gossiping about another person and then reacts to the gossip, that is considered indirect peer pressure.

J Adolesc Health

Some negative examples of peer pressure may include playing a prank, breaking the rules, or doing something illegal. Most of the time, teens may feel pressured to take part in such activities, even if their conscience tells them not to. Fortunately, there are also positive forms of peer https://ecosoberhouse.com/ pressure that can lead to better outcomes. Learning how to cope with peer pressure matters as it can help us stand by our values. Parents can be the strongest influence in their child’s life if they understand and are aware of the types of peer pressure their teenager is facing.

There are certainly exceptions to the typical gradually decreasing influence of peers on addiction, but for the purposes of this article we refer to processes that have been most often studied among adolescents and young adults. The article begins with a brief review of several theories related to peer influence. The review of theories is intended to provide context and ways to synthesize thinking about peer influence.

Indirect peer pressure

A person may be especially vulnerable to peer pressure if they say that peer acceptance is important to them, or if they are sensitive to rejection. The perception that alcohol or drug use is expected may also act as a form of peer pressure. Peer pressure is a risk factor for drug use, including alcohol use, among both children and adults.

Furthermore, youth with poor self-regulation may be more responsive to the short-term reinforcement offered by peers, making them more susceptible to peer influence. Peer influence research has begun to have a significant impact on public policy, highlighting the dangers of iatrogenic effects that can result from group interventions for antisocial youth. Passive or indirect peer pressure (hereafter referred to as indirect peer pressure) is a subtler or implicit form of pressure based on the perceived peer group norms regarding risky driving. Several experimental studies demonstrated the impact of indirect peer pressure on young risky driving. In addition, exposure to a risk-averse peer resulted in lower risky driving compared to driving alone.