How to Avoid Peer Pressure - Negative and Positive Peer Pressure Activity in Teenagers

Peer pressure is the name given to the term where a group of peers influences an individual to change their way of thinking and behavioral patterns in order to be accepted by them, and apparently, by society in general. It usually leads a person to perform actions that they would not normally do, and can have both helpful and adverse effects.

Peer pressure is most commonly associated within young people, particularly among teenagers going to school. While there are both positive and negative effects of peer pressure, most people consider the negative effects more dominant when discussing it. Young people are known to be unable to handle the maturity of the situation initially but learn to adapt to it. Peer pressure as a means of positive reinforcement can be observed amongst youngsters that strive to excel in sports or other extra-curricular activities to avoid feeling left out from the group. On the flip side, many young people succumb to unhealthy and harmful habits such as consuming drugs and alcohol because of peer pressure.

Peer pressure can also be witnessed among adults, particularly in the fields of management and leadership. Here, peer pressure can be used as an effective tool for boosting morale and of members of a particular organization.