| Teen Life Q&A Special: FAQ on Peer Pressure | ||||||||||||||||
| Your most frequently asked questions about peer pressure. | ||||||||||||||||
Time for another Teen Advice FAQ feature! Next to the Age of Consent and Sex & Pregnancy the topic that you ask the most questions about
is Peer Pressure. Everybody feels the pressure at some time in their life and refusing to
give in is often easier said then done. It is very hard to say no to peers when you fear that doing so will cause them to turn
against you. On the other hand, not all peer pressure is bad and not all conformity is negative. Just how can you tell when to
give in and when to get out? We have the answers in this FAQ of your most asked questions on the topic of peer pressure.
Peer pressure is a social force exerted by a group or powerful/admired individual within a group. It is generally a pressure to conform to a social norm within any given group. Not all peer pressure is bad. Social norms are a very important part of human interaction and group dynamics. Social norms are expectations that a group has of its members usually related to behavior. Since most social norms contribute to the smooth interaction of individuals within a society, peer pressure that promotes conforming to these norms serves a positive purpose. When social norms become deviant or harmful or when the social norms in a group are radically different to the generally accepted social norms of a society then we consider them to be "bad". When most people think of peer pressure they are thinking of the pressure to conform to a deviant behavior set. Things like drug use, underage alcohol use, promiscuous sexual conduct, violent or aggressive acting out, or criminal behavior are examples of the negative peer pressure associated with teens. Next Page > FAQ's on Peer Pressure Part 2 > Pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
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