{"id":71344,"date":"2024-01-10T10:10:45","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T10:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essays.homeworkacetutors.com\/peer-influence-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-essay\/"},"modified":"2024-01-10T10:10:45","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T10:10:45","slug":"peer-influence-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-essay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/peer-influence-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-essay\/","title":{"rendered":"Peer Influence: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Essay"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\u201cEveryone needs to\u00a0belong\u00a0\u2014 to\u00a0feel connected with others and be\u00a0with others who share attitudes, interests, and circumstances that resemble their own. People choose friends who accept and like them and see them in\u00a0a\u00a0favorable light.\u201d (Lebelle, 1999).<\/p>\n

Middle school is\u00a0a\u00a0tough time. There are numerous changes occurring internally and externally amongst children in\u00a0this age group. Boys and girls are maturing physically at\u00a0rapid paces, but their emotional maturation is\u00a0a\u00a0lot slower. This can cause problems. Most young adolescents desire adult treatment, because they are beginning to\u00a0look like adults, but, on\u00a0the inside, they are still easily influenced children.<\/p>\n

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Teens are desperate to\u00a0fit in\u00a0with their peers at\u00a0school and will go\u00a0to\u00a0extremes to\u00a0do\u00a0so. This can be\u00a0good and bad.<\/p>\n

see more:speech on\u00a0peer pressure<\/p>\n

Positive peer influence can \u201cencourage such desirable qualities as\u00a0truthfulness, fairness, cooperation, and abstinence form drugs and alcohol.\u201d (Ormrod). On\u00a0the other hand, negative peer influence can \u201cencourage aggression, criminal activity, and other antisocial behaviors\u201d (Ormrod).<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Illegal drug and alcohol use, promiscuity, bullying, and loss of\u00a0identity can all result from negative peer pressure. Teachers need to\u00a0be\u00a0educated about these things. They need to\u00a0know what occuring outside of\u00a0their classrooms is\u00a0in\u00a0order to\u00a0make a\u00a0difference inside their classrooms.<\/p>\n

Cliques play a\u00a0key role in\u00a0both positive and negative peer influence. Depending on\u00a0which clique a\u00a0child belongs\u00a0to, he\u00a0could become an\u00a0honor student who never tries drugs or\u00a0alcohol or\u00a0he\u00a0could become an\u00a0alcohol or\u00a0drug abuser, a\u00a0bully, or\u00a0he\u00a0could become promiscuous which could lead to\u00a0STD\u2019s or\u00a0teen parenting. There is\u00a0a\u00a0hierarchy when it\u00a0comes to\u00a0cliques. The popular kids are at\u00a0the very top. These students are usually nice-looking, well-dressed, and involved with athletics and clubs. Those things are all well and good, but sometimes, the popular kids are also into partying with drugs and alcohol.<\/p>\n

\u201cA\u00a0child who reaches age 21\u00a0without smoking, abusing alcohol or\u00a0using drugs is\u00a0virtually certain never to\u00a0do\u00a0so\u201d (Lebelle, 1999). Unfortunately, that rarely happens. Most girls have tried alcohol by\u00a0age thirteen and most boys have tried it\u00a0by\u00a0age eleven. The average American begins drinking regularly at\u00a0age fifteen. That means that the majority of\u00a0middle school children have already experimented with alcohol. Many cases of\u00a0adolescent drinking are linked to\u00a0pressure from peers. That is\u00a0why it\u00a0is\u00a0important for parents and teachers to\u00a0encourage their children and students to\u00a0disassociate themselves from peers who drink. Young adolescents will be\u00a0less likely to\u00a0begin drinking or\u00a0smoking if\u00a0they steer clear from cliques that do\u00a0not drink or\u00a0smoke and if\u00a0they are taught by\u00a0their parents to\u00a0stay away from alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.<\/p>\n

Even if\u00a0a\u00a0child is\u00a0encouraged from the start to\u00a0resist drugs and alcohol, he\u00a0can still become involved with these deadly toxins. Sometimes, the desire to\u00a0conform to\u00a0a\u00a0certain image is\u00a0just too strong. Trying drugs and alcohol may make a\u00a0middle school child feel like he\u00a0fits in\u00a0with his classmates. If\u00a0the \u2019cool kids\u2019 are doing\u00a0it, then a\u00a0child who is\u00a0unpopular may think that drinking or\u00a0smoking will make him cool. Some young adolescents are able to\u00a0do\u00a0drugs and alcohol a\u00a0few times and then quit whenever they want, but there are many who just try it\u00a0once and then they are hooked. \u201cIt\u00a0is\u00a0difficult to\u00a0know which teens will experiment and stop and which will develop serious problems\u201d (Lebelle, 1999).<\/p>\n

Pressure from certain cliques cannot only influence drinking and drug use, but also bullying. Most cliques have a\u00a0leader and the members of\u00a0the clique want to\u00a0be\u00a0pleasing to\u00a0the leader. If\u00a0the leader makes fun of\u00a0fellow students who do\u00a0not wear name brand clothing, then it\u00a0is\u00a0only natural for the other clique members to\u00a0think that it\u00a0is\u00a0cool to\u00a0do\u00a0the same thing. Also, those kids who want to\u00a0belong to\u00a0a\u00a0certain clique will closely watch how their coveted clique behaves. Then, they will try to\u00a0mimic those actions.<\/p>\n

There are also times when children who are more athletic will bully classmates who are smaller and not as\u00a0gifted at\u00a0athletics. This has even been said to\u00a0be\u00a0the cause of\u00a0school violence. The two killers in\u00a0the Columbine tragedy, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, were supposedly tormented constantly by\u00a0the \u2019Jocks\u2019. \u201cWhen the two boys entered high school, they found it\u00a0difficult to\u00a0fit into any of\u00a0the cliques. As\u00a0is\u00a0too common in\u00a0high school, the boys found themselves frequently picked on\u00a0by\u00a0athletes and other students\u201d (Rosenberg). Bullying is\u00a0a\u00a0deeply hurtful act that can torment and traumatize a\u00a0child for life.<\/p>\n

Promiscuity is\u00a0something that used to\u00a0be\u00a0frowned upon. Now it\u00a0is\u00a0cool to\u00a0be\u00a0sexually active as\u00a0a\u00a0young child. Popular Culture is\u00a0teaching are middle school children that the less clothing you have\u00a0on, the more cool you are. Children are seeing sexual images everywhere and it\u00a0is\u00a0creating muddled thinking in\u00a0their minds. Young adolescents have the incorrect notion that they are adults, but the truth is\u00a0that they are nowhere near mature enough to\u00a0handle sexual relationships. However, the pressure to\u00a0have sex is\u00a0abundant and hard for middle school kids to\u00a0resist.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeens also have cultural beliefs about what is\u00a0normal sexual behavior. Although most teenage girls believe that sex equals love, other teens\u00a0\u2014 especially boys\u00a0\u2014 believe that sex is\u00a0not the ultimate expression of\u00a0the ultimate commitment, but a\u00a0casual activity with minimal risks or\u00a0serious consequences\u201d (Lebelle, 1999). The reality is\u00a0that sex has many risks and carries serious consequences.<\/p>\n

Sexually Transmitted Diseases and pregnancy are not carefully considered enough by\u00a0young adolescents who want to\u00a0have sex.<\/p>\n

The pressure to\u00a0conform is\u00a0overwhelming for teens today. Cliques influence the actions of\u00a0kids in\u00a0everything from academics and athletics to\u00a0drugs and sex. Our world has a\u00a0misconsqued conception of\u00a0what makes an\u00a0individual \u2019cool\u2019 and unfortunately our young people are being taught these messed up\u00a0ideas everyday through the media and from classmates. Teachers can help by\u00a0providing positive examples and encouragement for their young students.<\/p>\n

Everyone knows about the negative affects of\u00a0peer pressure. However, peer pressure can be\u00a0positive; it\u00a0is\u00a0also not as\u00a0scary as\u00a0some may believe. \u201cStudies show that, almost always, peer influence is\u00a0weaker than adults believe\u201d (Black, 2002). Adults tend to\u00a0underestimate middle school children and their ability to\u00a0make decisions on\u00a0their own. When a\u00a0child commits a\u00a0wrongdoing, parents automatically want to\u00a0blame peer influence. Yet research has shown that young adolescents are not necessarily drawn into certain behaviors by\u00a0peer pressure, rather they decide to\u00a0be\u00a0more like their peers on\u00a0their own.<\/p>\n

It\u00a0is\u00a0no\u00a0secret that middle school children strive to\u00a0blend in\u00a0with their peers. The need to\u00a0belong is\u00a0an\u00a0important aspect in\u00a0a\u00a0child\u2019s life. Peer pressure is\u00a0real, but it\u00a0is\u00a0not always crippling. Positive peer pressure can be\u00a0overwhelmingly rewarding. In\u00a0contrast, negative peer influence can be\u00a0catastrophic. Contrary to\u00a0popular belief, middle school children do\u00a0respect the thoughts of\u00a0adults and desire to\u00a0be\u00a0like them. Parents and teachers need to\u00a0remember that when they are battling negative peer pressure. \u201cAlthough parents may be\u00a0relegated to\u00a0a\u00a0lesser role in\u00a0the influence they hold over their young adolescent children, these same children will listen to\u00a0and emulate other adults. Whether it\u00a0be\u00a0teachers, parents of\u00a0their friends, or\u00a0community members, adults have the opportunity to\u00a0influence and lead the young adolescent in\u00a0positive directions\u201d (Knowles &\u00a0Brown, 2000).<\/p>\n

Bibliography:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Black, S\u00a0(2002, April). Rethinking peer pressure. American School, 189, Retrieved June 2, 2006, from http:\/\/www.asbj.com\/2002\/04\/0402research.html<\/li>\n
  • (January 23, 2001). Study: Peers sway a child\u2019s interest in smoking, drinking as early as 6th grade. CNN.com, Retrieved June 1, 2006, from\u00a0http:\/\/archives.cnn.com\/2001\/HEALTH\/01\/23\/teen.drinking\/index.html<\/li>\n
  • Knowles, T ; Brown, D.F. (2000). What every middle school teacher should know.<\/li>\n
  • Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.Lebelle, N\u00a0(1999). Peer influence and peer relationships. Retrieved June\u00a02, 2006, from Focus Adolescent Services Web site: http:\/\/www.focusas.com\/PeerInfluence.html<\/li>\n
  • Ormrod, J.E. (2006). Educational psychology: Developing learners.Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall<\/li>\n
  • Rosenberg, J\u00a0(2006). Columbine massacre. Retrieved July\u00a02, 2006, from About Web site: http:\/\/history1900s.about.com\/od\/famouscrimesscandals\/a\/columbine.htm<\/li>\n
  • Williams, M\u00a0(2001-2006). Teen sex and pregnancy. Retrieved June\u00a01, 2006, from Westside Pregnancy Resource Center Web site: http:\/\/www.wprc.org\/9.28.0.0.1.0.phtml<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    \u201cEveryone needs to\u00a0belong\u00a0\u2014 to\u00a0feel connected with others and be\u00a0with others who share attitudes, interests, and circumstances that resemble their own. People choose friends who accept and like them and see them in\u00a0a\u00a0favorable light.\u201d (Lebelle, 1999). Middle school is\u00a0a\u00a0tough time. There are numerous changes occurring internally and externally amongst children in\u00a0this age group. Boys and girls […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7209],"tags":[5288,9590,9587,9588,5287,9591,9589],"class_list":["post-71344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adolescence","tag-ace-myhomework","tag-au-assessments","tag-cheap-essay-writing-services-online","tag-dissertation-writing-help-for-students","tag-homework-ace-tutors","tag-homework-tutors","tag-write-my-essay-fast-online"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71344\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}