How do you know the difference between good peer pressure and bad peer pressure?

The obvious answer is; if it is illegal, if it causes harm to others or yourself, if it has the potential to harm others or yourself or if it involves lying, sneaking around or other types of self protective deception than it is probably "bad". Keeping a surprise party a secret involves deception but it is not bad because the end justifies the means. When we talk about self protective deception we mean deception that is born from a need or desire to keep oneself out of trouble. Sometimes peer pressure leads us to do something that is not generally accepted but that serves a greater good - something that supports a cause. An example of this is animal rights protesting. Your peers may pressure you to go along on an animal rights protest. In doing so you risk being arrested for disturbing the peace. Is it bad to go? To decide that you need to count on your personal sense of morality and your sense of self - a so called "personal test." A personal test of "good" or "bad" involves identifying how it will make you feel about yourself if you conform. Can you live with yourself if you follow the group? Are you willing to face the fall out even if it means you must bear some negative consequences? Follow your gut instincts rather than your desires - they rarely stear you wrong when you really listen to them.

Can peer pressure be caused by just one person or does it need to be a group?

Yes, peer pressure can definitely be caused by one person. It does not have to be pressure from a group to be considered peer pressure. A boyfriend/girfriend who pressures a steady to have sex is exerting peer pressure. A best friend who tries to get a pal to shoplift is exerting peer pressure. In fact, most teens report feeling peer pressure from individuals more often than from groups. The group dynamic only comes into play in so far as the teen being pressured worries about how the group will react if he/she refuses to conform to the wishes of the individual.

When a boyfriend/girlfriend pressures his/her partner to have sex, is this peer pressure?

As noted in question 9, yes, this is definitely an example of peer pressure. This is probably one of the most common forms of peer pressure faced by older teens and young adults. It is important to know that this is peer pressure and that it has nothing to do with proving love or committment.

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