Peer Pressure Research Paper free essay sample

A Research Paper Good Friends and Not†¦ In Partial Fulfillment of the Course Requirements in COMM101 Expository Writing DEDICATION The researcher would like to dedicate this research to her family who had inspired her and supported her in making the research. She also dedicates this not only to her friends but also to all of the teenagers who are experiencing peer pressure. Good Friends and Not†¦ I. Peer Pressure A. Definition B. Types of Peer Pressure 1. Positive Peer Pressure 2. Negative Peer Pressure a. Spoken or Direct b. Unspoken or Indirect C. Where does Peer Pressure come from 1. Peers a. Definition b. Functions c. Statuses c. 1. Popular c. 2. Neglected c. 3. Rejected c. 4. Controversial 2. Adolescent Groups a. Functions and Formation a. 1. Norms a. 2. Roles b. Cliques and Crowds b. 1. Nerd b. 2. Beauty Queen b. 3. Sportsman b. 4. Hippies b. 5. Perfectionist b. 6. Addicts D. effects or Influence of Peer Pressure 1. Positive 2. Negative a. Alcohol another drug case EPIGRAPH â€Å"The only people who are worth being friends with are the people who like you as you are. We will write a custom essay sample on Peer Pressure Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † -Charlotte Levy INTRODUCTION In the stage of being a teenager there are times when they are trying to find their identity and the way to find out is by joining groups or clubs. It can be really lonely having no peer groups. The enjoyment of a group that can form a personality that they will might carry for a long time or even through their life. In some ways a teenager’s life can be influenced in the way his group behaves. It depends on how each one cooperates with each other. Although there’s a need to be accepted, it doesn’t mean that a teenager could just join a group just to say that he is accepted which can cause harm to his life. This is where peer pressure enters. It doesn’t really means that peer pressure goes along in a negative way. There are just some chances that teenager are pressured to do something that they don’t really want to do or sometimes they doesn’t even know that they are being pushed to do it. They can’t sometimes realize that they are already doing dumbest and senseless things for the only reason of being accepted. In different peer groups, they have different ways that they know that they will be recognize and this is called as their image. Because of this image hey will be forced in doing things that this certain group does that they really wouldn’t want to do. But for the sake of being in a group and being accepted they just follow the trend. It can really be hard to be in a group, most of all if they’ve join the wrong one. There they would feel like they are uncertain of themselves thinking if this is what they really are as they try to deal wi th different pressures and changes in the group. Having friends or peers of the same age and with the same interest can sometimes be really difficult and serious. What really is peer pressure? How can it affect you? Would be in a negative or positive way? Or maybe even both? Have you been doing things that you don’t like just because of it? Can it be because it had already influenced you? Is peer pressure a good thing or a bad thing? I. Peer Pressure A. Definition (Figure 1. 1) Peer Pressure The need to be accepted by others formulates the idea of â€Å"peer pressure†. Teenage friendships can be very strong, with this strong bond they remain unbroken for rest of their life. Teenagers also try seeking to find their self-identity and to do so they join groups and clubs. It would be an ever lonely world having no peer groups. The wonders and enjoyments of group identity can form personality that they might carry on through their life. Since friendships are about loyalty and trust, they will find it hard to break away from their friends. However, too much adherence to loyalty may or may not later ruin their life. It is all because their life is influenced by the way their group behaves. It really depends entirely on their friendship and how they would cooperate with one another and mix cultures, ways and attitudes until they form one unified core. All there is an understanding in being accepted, it wouldn’t mean you just have to join a group that later might harm you. It is because usually peer pressure goes along the negative. Peer pressure refers to the influence that a peer group exerted in encouraging a person to change his or her attitude, values or behavior in order to conform to group norm. It is considered one of the ironies of teenagers that in the urge on to separate and individuate from the family. It is also the feeling that someone your own age is pushing you toward making a choice which may be good or bad. B. Types of Peer Pressure . Good Peer Pressure Mostly people think that peer pressure is only negative what they do not know is it can also help in some ways. Teenagers are influenced in both negative and positive way. It is how they chose to react to peer pressure that defines who they are as an individual. When peer pressure is making a person act in generally appropriate way, to do the right thing whe n he or she may not otherwise, or to do more good than harm this is a positive peer pressure. Good peer pressure is being pushed into something that you didn’t have the courage to do or just didn’t cross your mind to do. However, as they think about it, it seems like a good thing to do. Some examples are encouraging a person to join sports team because they know that he or she is good at it. Good peer pressure can also be a situation when friends convince one not to do something because it wasn’t his or her interest. It is said that good pressure is when a person get pushed into something that he or she didn’t want to do and it turned our well. If one of them talks about getting good grades all the members of the group will be pressured to do their best to get good grades. Also if one of them likes doing volunteer work and joining clubs, they would influence each other and go with the flow. The good things friends can pressure each other to do is be honest, avoid alcohol, avoid drugs, not smoke, be nice, work hard and respect others. 2. Bad Peer Pressure Most people think of peer pressure as influence to do negative things. This is because peer pressure usually goes along the negative way like smoking, taking illicit drugs, drinking alcohol, having promiscuous sex, engaging in criminal behavior, involvement in violence, joining gangs, and so on. Bad peer pressure is being forced into doing something a person didn’t want to do because his or her friends said that you should. Friends have a tendency to think that they know what is best for you. Bad peer pressure is broken down into two: a. Spoken or Direct Negative Peer Pressure â€Å"We are going to have a party tonight. Come with us! Don’t just sit here studying. You never do anything fun! † Direct, spoken, negative peer pressure puts a teenager on the spot through direct confrontation. The teen’s peer wants to convince him to something that he shouldn’t do. When peers resort to a direct peer pressure, it’s quite difficult to find an excuse to do the right thing because he knows that it would be possible that his peers would mock him. For instance if one of his friends offered him a cigarette, he might say no, but being able to say no may not be the problem. The real problem arises when his friends ask him repeatedly to do something. This is where he has to be able to say himself that he had made his decision and he feels that it’s the correct one. Then be able to express that repeatedly to all of his friends and have enough respect for him to stand up and not give in. Though it might sound easy doing it needs tremendous amount of will power to be able to stand up to people that you know, trust and respect and that is your friends. b. Unspoken or Indirect Peer Pressure When a teenager feels out of place or not accepted whatever reason, they may give in into peer pressure to fit in and have friends. Teenagers worry about what others think, even if they say they don’t. They don’t want to be the joke of the school having others make fun of them, so they give in and skip school, or they will be mean to someone for no real good reason. When it seems like everyone is doing something like dressing a certain way or acting a certain way, teens feel pressure to go along with the crowd and be like everyone else. Most of teenagers don’t want to stand out as being different from others that is the reason that they want to fit in. There is no need for someone to tell them in doing this but just observing their peers and the people surrounding them will create pressure to be like them. They might try that cigarette or a sip of alcohol, just to have fits and fit in. C. Where does Peer Pressure come from? 1. Peers a. Definition (Figure 1. 2) Peers Everyone’s world is not confined only within family. In reaching teenage life, teenagers are bound to extend themselves to other people. In this way, most of people who have lots of friends are the teens. No man is an island, that’s what they say. It is true that you cannot be alone in this world and cannot work without even a single friend around. Youth is the time when teens want to make friends. All teenagers feel that their home life and their family don’t give them enough. This is a time when they will want to broaden their interests, meet people of different types and backgrounds, try out new. Peers are persons or group people who are about the same age group and also close to one another. Peers are powerful forces in the life of a teenager. Sometimes, teenagers feel that their friends understand them better than their parents and relatives do. More importantly, peers make you feel you belong. b. Functions of Peers Peers are very important in assisting with the process of separation and individuation. The reasons are because peers act as mirror. Teenagers’ peers provide reinforcement of their growing identity. Teenagers discover, through their peers, that their likes, interests and ideas are shared. Furthermore, this shows them that these things have value and by extension, that they themselves have values as people. Peers act as testing ground. Teenagers can test out ideas, jokes, and behaviors and so on with their peers that they wouldn’t feel comfortable doing with their parents – or indeed, that wouldn’t be appropriate to do with their parents. Just as a family develops its own ‘story’ that has morals, codes, things that are OK and things that aren’t, so too does the peers. Peers provide social support and safety. ‘First times’ are more fun celebrated with peers than being alone. It might be that first illicit cigarette, getting into the cinema underage, that first can of beer. Peers provide the opportunity for a teenager to celebrate new things and new experiences and sympathized first failures. Peers don’t live in the same house. Teenagers are starting to separate from their family and sometimes, even in the most harmonious of households, peers act as an escape from the stresses and strains of family life. Also, it is something separate and private from the family that the teenager has built up by him/herself. It is therefore precious and important and criticism of the peers can be a big mistake as it suggests that the teenager hasn’t got the ability to create things for themselves away from the family. c. Statuses Most teenagers have probably thought about popularity a lot. There are times that they have racism with others just because of their statuses. Teenagers commonly think how would others like them? How would they be popular on both boys and girls? Because of this there are different statuses of teenagers which are: c. 1. Popular Every teenager wanted to be one of the popular ones in school. Well who really doesn’t want to be known by others? Isn’t it that when a teenagers is popular they wouldn’t have a hard time making friends? The popular ones are frequently chosen as best friends. Even if they say that it really doesn’t matter who their friends are as long as they are accepted it can’t be denied that there’s still a moment that teenagers want to have friends who are popular. A teenager can be popular because of two reasons. These reasons are certain physical and cultural factors. Teenagers who are attractive are more popular than those who are not and, different from what others believe, brighter teenagers are more popular than less intelligent ones. It has been found out that teens who are popular give out reinforcement, listen carefully, maintain open lines of communication with peers, are happy, show enthusiasm, and concern for others and also self-confident. Because of these factors the popular ones are frequently chosen as a best friend and rarely dislike by their peers. c. 2 Neglected There are times that when teenagers are left by their peers just because they are neglected. Some of the reasons why they are neglected is their peers have found someone else to be friends with. The neglected ones though even left by their friends and infrequently chosen as a best friend because of some factors though when they have peers they are not disliked by them. c. 3 Rejected Teenagers can’t avoid being rejected even though how much they like to be friends with others. The status of a rejected teen may be because of some of the factors like physical features, cultural differences or may be because of himself. There are teens that just don’t have the skills to socialize with others and make friends with them which results to being rejected by others. The ones who are rejected are infrequently chosen as someone’s best friends and are actively disliked by their peers. They are dislike by their peers because of some of their attitudes. Rejected teenagers often have more serious adjustments in their later life than those who are neglected. Most teens that had been rejected in their early life were engage in delinquent behavior or rebelling or drop out of school. Not all rejected teens are aggressive. Although being aggressive is related to impulsiveness and disruptiveness, they are times that rejected teens are shy. c. 4 Controversial There is no really exact description on what controversial teenagers are. Their status of being controversial teenagers is quite confusing and has conflict because they are frequently chosen by someone as a best friend but as the same time being disliked. 2. Peer Groups A. Definition Youth is the time to try new activities and belong to a group whose members dress and act the same way and groupthink. In schools, there are usually sport centers and clubs where they can meet new friends. Being a teenager is like being a member of a club. They want to stick close to others who wear similar clothes, hairstyles, accessories. They also follow the latest trends, fad and craze and also share common values, ideas, and interests. In this way they feel accepted and secured. These groups can be formal and informal group which has the same age, status, ability, interest, etc. Some of the formal groups are basketball team, hockey team, Boy Scout or Girl Scout, student council and so on. A more nformal group could be group of peers, such as cliques. B. Functions and Formation A group satisfies a teenager needs, reward them, provides them information, raise their self-esteem, and give them identity. Teenagers might join a group because they that it is enjoyable and exciting and would satisfy their need for affiliation and companionship. They might join a group because will have the opportunity t o receive rewards. Groups are also important source of information. Any group has two things in common: b. 1. Norms Just like what had been said peer group share common values, ideas, and interests. In a group there are these rules that members should follow. It may not be formally said but still you still have to follow it in some way because this is what the group wants and these are norms. Norms are rules apply to all members of the group. b. 2. Roles Roles are the certain positions that you play in a group. These roles can also be act as a group. All of the members may also be like these. C. Cliques c. 1 Definition Cliques are small groups ranging from two to about twelve individuals and average about five to six individuals. The clique members are usually of the same gender and are similar in age. Cliques can form because teenagers are engage in similar activities like being in sports team. Some cliques are also form just by purely friendship. Several teenagers form a clique because have spent time with each other and enjoy each other’s company. What a clique does is share their ideas, hang out together, and often develop an in-group identity in which they believe their clique is better than the others. D. Crowd d. 1. Definition Crowds are a larger group than cliques. Teenagers are usually members of crowd based on their reputation and may or may not spend much time other crowd member. Good examples of crowds are what you see in teenage movies where there are different kinds of characters like the popular ones who always well almost get what they want, the nerds who are intelligent but are just ignored and so on. There are so many crowds that a teenager can chose for him to join. But it’s not always that way. There are times when others are the ones who choose for you. It is how they look at him or in what way they recognize him and then refer to him as a member of a crowd which he didn’t really choose. Just like if you are intelligent even though for you, you don’t consider yourself as a nerd others think that you are. . 2. Nerd (Figure 1. 3) Nerd So they are shy, wear unflattering clothes, and have a congestion problem, so what? They got the brains! Who cares what everyone thinks, they still have their friends, and their more successful future. They dream of dating Beauty Queen, but face it, its never going to happen. She might be scared off by their affinity for Star Wars. Not to fret, they have established a good group of friends you can do math problems with on the weekends. No moment is ever a dull moment! Teenagers, who are in this type of crowd, pretend to be someone who is genuinely moral and true. They do everything more than what is expected, as if everyone else goes wrong. They are someone who never misses any class, homework or project. They are always â€Å"up-to-date† of things. For other they consider a person as a nerd when he or she is smart and knows a lot about different things. They are really great when it comes to academics but they don’t really get into some activities besides that. They don’t know other words besides â€Å"study†. They are expected to get high grades and they are also the ones who always grab the awards and I mean by grabbing them it is like as if they have taken all of them. . 3. Beauty Queen (Figure 1. 4) Beauty Queen Teenagers who are members of this crowd is a total socialite. For them, life is full of contests. If they don’t join in, they are losers. In fact, being a socialite is already a loser because you are climbing a status that you are not and admit it, you can’t. They long for popularity beca use they believe that their beauty have won the hearts of many. Daddys favorite little girl! They are spoiled rotten, but hey, its okay, they get whatever they want, whenever they want! They are the most popular girl in school also known as feared by all. Everyone knows who they are because they are involved in almost everything. All their teachers love them, but all their friends secretly hate them. Their best skills are their interpersonal skills, especially when it comes to gossip, but it can definitely be applied in many other ways. They are outgoing and must always look like they love what they are doing. d. 4. Sportsman For these people, sports is always the name of the game, even inside the classroom. They spend their entire life doing their latest in sports and sports hobbies and outfits. They memorized every good athlete in the world duplicating such career to their own extent, forgetting that life has other tasks to do. (Figure 1. 5) Sportsman There would be no school spirit if it wasnt for these guys. They tend to be those star athletes that have that confidence that certainly boarders on cockiness. They have a high sense of self-esteem that gives them the right to be popular. They love what they do, but definitely feel a pressure to be extremely good at it, after all, the entire school is counting on them to get that title! But they feel lucky to be who they are because there are definitely perks to being an athlete. If youre good enough, your bad grades wont matter because they will be going to college on an athletic scholarship. d. 5. Braggart (Figure 1. 6) Braggart These people always complain that it is not their fault. They feel cheated and that the world was unfair to them. Braggarts are misled because they believe that the world has something to say sorry for their losing attitude. d. 6. Hippies These people do nothing in life but hang around and let loose. It shows to their dress that as if they are the coolest guys who are not responsible for anything. Homework? Oh, there’s no home and work. So what if they repeat? (Figure 1. 7) Hippies They are the epitome of laid back, but its something you have to try to be. Talk about the anti-trend. They are environmentally conscious and have a free spirited. They even love maps! The only music they listen to is underground, and the second it goes mainstream, they swear to never listen to it again. They dont have many friends, but the friends they do have are very close to them. d. 7. Perfectionist (Figure 1. 8) Perfectionist As what they are called they are more likely to think of them as, perfect. These are people who lived before the land of time. For them, everything must be organized. One little mistake, oops, you’re out of their system. If they ever commit mistake in a test, it’s a total protest because they can’t accept the fact that sometimes in life, a little rain must fall. They want things to go in the way they like it to turn out to. d. 8. Addicts Who are these? Yes, they are the drug addicts. All they know are to get high and drink beer all night. Have a good time for tomorrow he dies. Yes, he never grows old because he dies young. Their lives are too short to enjoy other great opportunities ahead. But as they feel addicted to party, there’s no tomorrow to enjoy it. (Figure 1. 9) Addict They are the cool friends that teach teenager where a person should belong. Teenagers are being forced to do acts, like smoking, drinking, wild dancing, drugs, premarital sex, loose conduct and carefree living which internally, teenagers would not want to do. d. 9. Conclusions about teenage crowds Crowds emerge to provide youth with provisional identities they can adopt, well at least temporarily, on their way to more integrated identity later in development. Crowds not only vary in terms of dress, grooming style, musical tastes, and hang outs in school but also in terms of more-consequential activities such as effort in school or deviant behavior. Thus, whether crowds are â€Å"friend† or â€Å"foe† depends largely on the particular crowd with which the teenager is associated. D. Importance of Peers 1. Companionship. Peers provide teenagers with a familiar partner, someone who is willing to spend time with them and join collaborative activities. In this way each of them will enjoy each other’s companionship. 2. Stimulation Teenagers don’t want to have just any peer who’ll just be there. They want to have peers who will provide them with interesting information, excitement, enthusiasm and amusement. 3. Physical support Teenagers want they peers to support them in a physically which is providing them resources and assistance. 4. Ego Support Teenagers have personalities or self-image. They have the need and also the expectation of support, encouragement, motivation and the feedback that helps teenagers to maintain impression o themselves as competent, attractive and worthwhile individual provided by their peers. . Social Comparison. Teenagers needs the information about where they stand face-to-face others and whether they are doing is okay. In this they will be inform socially by their peers from others that are surrounding them. 6. Intimacy/Affection Teenagers are not only about the companionship. They also need the warm, closeness, understanding, trusting with another individual, relation ship that involves self disclosure. This intimacy or affection is provided by peers. E. Effects of Peer Pressure 1. Positive Effects (Figure 1. 10) Peers studying together Peer pressure is not always a bad thing. It can help teenagers analyze their selves and reflect on their ways of life. Some of the practices that the masses follow may actually teach them in their ways of life. They may be able to change their selves for the better. Looking at what others do, can help them bring about a positive change in their way of thinking. If they pick selectively, peer pressure can actually result in a positive way which may change their way of life. Knowing what others follow exposes them to the world outside their home. They would be able to understand the things that are going around them. They are exposed to wide varieties in human behavior. Exposure or the experience of peer pressure gives them the chance to choose the best from what the others do. (Figure 1. 11) Peers socializing If only teenagers would be fortunate to get a good peer group, their peers can play a vital role in shaping their personality. Others’ way of looking at life may influence them to change for betterment. Some of their peers are their close friends, who do not pressurize them to do things that you wouldn’t want to but instead inspire them into changing their selves. Their peer group may actually persuade or influence them to bring about a constructive change in their personalities. Peer pressure can lead them to make the right choices in life but it would be their decision to make. Peer pressure may result in improvement in their academics. Like improving in their grades, this is the result of being pressured by their peers because they were determined to get good grades so they were all influence by it. It can also improve teenagers’ confidence. If teenagers have chosen a peer group that has all the confidence there is no way that they wouldn’t be influence by it. They would also be confident and be positive in doing a lot of things. Peer pressure may also result in to trying more things or getting involved at school. They would join their peers in getting involved with different activities in school. Peer pressure does not only have effects outside home. It can also help relationships, result in more time with the family and improve communication. In helping relationships, they may be thinking that their family might be the only one like that but as soon as they meet others who as well have families they would realize that they are not the only ones who have that kind of family and they would be understand the different situations about their family. If only people think for awhile they would realize that peer pressure has so many positive effects on them. They might just not notice it. The pressure to respect the property of others, being in a peer even though there is already the closeness of each other there are still limits to it. The pressure to join in a service group, if one joins then the others joins too. The pressure to get into college, of course there would be a time when a teenager would think that he would just want to take a break from studying and don’t go to college. But because of the pressure of others going to college and he would be left by them he would just follow them and enter college. Of course there are always rules in schools or in different groups and because of the fear of one in going against the rules would influence or pressure others and would result to following the rules. Being quiet during exams or not cheating, others might think that just because friends help one another. It doesn’t mean that it would also apply during their exams. There are still rules that should be followed and doing what is right. 2. Negative Effects (Figure 1. 12) Negative Effects of Peer pressure When teenagers do not like a particular idea or when they have no inclination towards a particular field, it is too obvious that they won’t like to go by it. For sure, they won’t like to go that way. But it is their peer group, which may force them on doing something that you do not like or hate. In such situations, there are chances that they won’t do well in those things. Things they do not enjoy doing cannot bring them success. They cannot appear successful in something that they have never liked doing. Maybe there would be a chance that the result would be good but how can it be good if they are not really willing to do it. Meaning they aren’t giving any efforts in doing it so how would it result well? So, it is important that they do not lose happiness of their life succumbing to peer pressure. Many a time, it so happens, those teenagers are forced to lead certain kind of lifestyle due to peer pressure. They may not like partying on every weekend, they may not like night outs with friends, and they may hate drinking and smoking. But peer pressure may make them do all that they had never wished to do or even experience. There are many teenagers who experience great pressure from their peer group that forces them to take to drinking. They may take to something as grave drug use, and that too, only because of peer pressure. In such cases, being overly pressurized by their peers can be detrimental to their living. Some teenagers literally spoil their lives by giving in to peer pressure. (Figure 1. 13) A teenager being force to try smoking by his peer. Peer pressure can lead to a loss of individuality, Extreme peer pressure may lead them to follow what their peers feel right. Peer pressure may compel them to go to by everything they think right. They tend to blindly imitate the masses. They adopt their taste of fashion, clothing, hair, music, craze, fad and general living. Peer pressure can actually lead them to lose their taste of life and force themselves to begin liking what they like. Peer pressure is the human tendency to join the bandwagon, in which, the person loses his/her original way of looking at life. Cool friends teach them where they should belong. They are being forced to do acts, like smoking, drinking, wild dancing, tattooing, drugs, premarital sex, loose conduct and carefree living, which internally, they would not want to do. But for the sake of the â€Å"group†, they follow the trend. They are just doing it because they want to belong. Be warned, these friends are fake. They just want to include them because they simple want to hang aound and shout to the world how cool they are. They let the need to belong overcome common sense and good judgment. And teenagers as devoted followers are vulnerable to the possible influences because they deny what may go wrong. They are fooling themselves into believing that they really want to do and act the way they do. In other words, they are abandoning their selves and putting down their own self-esteem. True, loyalty is a deep commitment when it comes to friends. But if they will let their loyalty get in their way it will ruin them for worse, they will fall entirely for nothing. F. How to deal with peer pressure Before dealing with peer pressure first try to recognize if it’s bad or good. In choosing what to do, they need to take charge here. First they need to stop and think. They should ask themselves these questions first: * Could this be trouble? Will it break the law? Will it break the school or home rules? * Will people in authority be angry with me or disappointed with me? * Will someone be hurt their body or their feelings? * Will I be safe? * Do I feel good about this? If it is determined that it is a bad peer pressure, one way of dealing with it is learning to say no. * Just say No! Keep on saying it. * Leave, so that you cant be persuaded. * Pretend you havent heard and walk away. * Make an excuse. Cant stop now, got to go.. * Talk about something else that they are interested in and dont let them change the subject. * Laugh. I thought you said†¦ Youve got to be joking! Then change the subject or leave still laughing. * Laugh. I thought you said†¦ Youve got to be joking! Then change the subject or leave still laughing. * Pretend to be shocked or amazed. Have a better idea. * Give friendly advice: That could be a dumb thing to do. Whose idea was it? Youre too smart to get into that. * Say, Im not doing this because Im your friend and I dont want to see you get into trouble. * Say, Thats a bit unkind. How would you feel if someone did [said] that to you? * Say, Everybodys different, even you. * Say, Youre entitled to your opinion , Im entitled to mine. SUMMARY Majority of teenagers experience peer pressure. Peer pressure is the feeling that someone your own age is pushing you toward making a choice which may be good or bad. Mostly people think that peer pressure is a bad thing but one thing that they don’t know is that peer pressure can also be a good thing. Peer pressure is good when it affects a person in a good way but when the result of peer pressure already harms the person it is already bad. There are two kinds of bad peer pressure and those are direct or spoken and indirect or unspoken. Peer pressure obviously is cause by peers or peer groups. Peers are persons or group people who are about the same age group and also close to one another. Peers are powerful forces in the life of a teenager. Peers also have different statuses. Peer groups are most likely the same with peers but the only difference is if peers have statuses peer groups have different kinds of cliques and crowds. Even though sometimes peers or peer groups can cause negative peer pressure they still have the importance in the life of teenagers. The companionship, stimulation, physical support, ego support, social comparison and intimacy or affection which are coming from peers or peer groups. If peer pressure can be good or bad of course its effect will also be negative or positive. It will just depend on how teenagers make their decision or how will they let peer pressure affect them. Peer pressure results into positive peer pressure when teenagers have chosen the right people that they want to experience their life while they are on their youth. When they have chosen the right people they would surely be pressured to do the right things but if in some cases if teenagers have chosen the wrong people they are just making their life turn worse and let their life fall. If they determined that the peer pressure that they are experiencing will result to something bad that will harm them, there’s a way in trying to avoid it. And that way is learning to say no to others. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION A. Respondent’s Profile The researcher conducted a survey having 100 college students that have been in a peer group and might have experienced peer pressure. The total number of the respondents is 100. 22 out of the 100 respondents are males. 18 out of 22 are around the age of 16 to 17 years old, while 4 out of 22 are around the age of 18 to 19 years old. There are 78 out of the 100 female respondents. 72 out of 78 are around the age of 16 to 17 years old while 5 out of 78 are around the ahe of 18 to 19 years old and 1 out of 78 is at the age of 20 and above. B. Findings Q. 1 Have you ever been in a peer group? Gender| Yes| Percentage| No| Percentage| Total| Male| 22| 100| 0| 0| 22| Female| 78| 100| 0| 0| 78| Total| 100%| 100| 0| 0| 100| 100 % of both male and female respondents have been in a peer group. Q. 2 Have you ever experience peer pressure? Gender| Yes| Percentage| No| Percentage| Total| Male| 21| 95| 1| 5| 22| Female| 67| 86| 11| 14| 78| Total| 88| 88| 12| 12| 100| 21 out of the 22 male respondents answered that they have experienced peer pressure and only 1 out of 22 answered he hasn’t. 7 out of the female respondents answered they have experienced peer pressure and 11 out of 78 answered they haven’t. Q. 3 Have you ever been pressured to do something that you know is bad? Gender| Yes| Percentage| No| Percentage| Total| Male| 10| 45| 12| 55| 22| Female| 43| 55| 35| 45| 78| Total| 53| 53| 47| 47| 100| 45% of the male respondents answered that they have been pressured to do something bad while 55% answered they haven ’t. 55% of the female respondents answered they have been pressured to do something bad while 45% answered they haven’t. Q. Have you ever lied of liking something just because your friends like it? Gender| Yes| Percentage| No| Percentage| Total| Male| 13| 59| 9| 41| 22| Female| 41| 53| 37| 47| 78| Total| 54| 54| 46| 46| 100| 59 % of the male respondents and 53 % of the female respondents answered that they have lied in liking something just because their friends like it while 41 % of the male respondents and 47 % of the female respondents answered that they haven’t. Q. 5 Have you ever lied to your parents because your friends told you so? Gender| Yes| Percentage| No| Percentage| Total| Male| 7| 32| 15| 68| 22| Female| 31| 40| 47| 60| 78| Total| 38| 38| 62| 62| 100| 32 % of male respondents and 40 % of female respondents answered that they lied to their parents because their peers or friends told them so while 68 % and 60 % of the male and female respondents, respectively answered they haven’t. Q. 6 Do you think that you were influenced by peer pressure? Gender| Yes| Percentage| No| Percentage| Total| Male| 16| 73| 6| 27| 22| Female| 52| 67| 26| 33| 78| Total| 68| 68| 32| 32| 100| 73 % of the male respondents and 63 % of the female respondents said that they were influenced by peer pressure while 27 % of the male respondents and 3 % of the female respondents said they weren’t. Q. 7 If you answered Yes in Q. 6, How do you feel it affected you? Gender| In a positive way| Percen-tage| In a negative way| Percen-tage| Both, depends on the situation| Percen-tage| total| Male| 2| 13| 1| 6| 13| 81| 16| Female| 5| 9. 6| 2| 3. 9| 45| 86. 5| 52| Total| 7| 10. 3| 3| 4. 4| 58| 85. 3| 68| Among the respondents who ans wered yes in question no. 6, 13 % of the male respondents and 9. 6 % of the female respondents answered that they were influenced and affected in a positive way. 6 % of the male respondents and 3. % of the female respondents answered they were affected in a negative way while 81 % of the male and 86. 5 % of the female respondents answered that they were affected in both ways depending on the situation. Q. 8 Do you think peer pressure is a good thing? Gender| Yes| Percentage| No| Percentage| Both, good and bad| Percentage| Total| Male| 0| 0| 7| 32| 15| 68| 22| Female| 3| 4| 6| 8| 69| 88| 78| Total| 3| 3| 13| 13| 84| 84| 100| 0 out of 22 male respondents and 3 out of 78 female respondents answered that they think peer pressure is a good thing. out of 22 male and 6 out of 78 female respondents answered that peer pressure is not a good thing while 15 out of 22 male and 69 out of 78 female respondents answered that peer pressure can be sometimes good and bad. ng? Q. 9 Looking back, are t here choices you made that you don’t think you would have, if you weren’t pressured into them? Gender| Yes| Percentage| No| Percentage| Total| Male| 11| 30| 11| 30| 22| Female| 53| 68| 25| 32| 78| Total| 64| 64| 36| 36| 100| 50 % of the male and 68 % of the female respondents answered that they have been pressured in making some of their choices 50 % of the male and 32 % of he female respondents answered they weren’t. C. Conclusion 1. Basing on the findings all of the respondents both male and female have been in a peer group and majority of them have experience peer pressure that is 88 % of the respondents. 2. The male respondents have been pressure to do something that is bad less than the female respondents. They said that male respondents avoid doing everything that their peers tell them to do. 3. In pretending or lying about liking something just because their friends or peers said they like it. Majority of both male and female answered yes. They said that it is because they don’t want to upset their friends into not liking it and also pressured in liking it. 4. In lying to parent just because their friends told them so majority answered no. But even though majority of them answered no there are still others who answered yes and they reasoned that it’s because they were pressured into it and they just do it in a situation where they really need to. 5. In answering the question whether they were influenced by peer pressure majority of them answered yes. And after they answered yes they were questioned in what way they were affected. Again majority of them answered that they were affected in both negative and positive way depending on the situation. 6. 84 % of both male and female answered that peer pressure can be both good and bad while 13 % said that it is bad and only 3 percent that it is good. They said that peer pressure cannot be only bad or cannot only be good. There are times that it really depends on the situation they are in. 7. On the last question they were asked if some of their answers were pressured or influence to them. In male respondents the results were the same, it was 11 %. While in female 68 % of them answered yes. They said it because in some way they want to have the same answer as others. This reason may give the idea that it’s because of peer pressure. RECOMMENDATION The researcher has finished conducting and presenting the findings and conclusion. The researcher would like to share the following recommendations to teenagers: * Teenager should remember that in entering the adolescence they should be ready because this is the common point in time where they might experience excessive peer pressure. * Teenagers hould remember that in having peers they should choose the right ones. Because if there’s a case where they have chosen the wrong people as their peers the result might just harm them or would be bad for them. * Teenagers should be aware if their friends are putting peer pressures to them. But they should not be confident if they can determine if they are experiencing pressure. They should also be aware if the peer pressure that they are experiencing is a good one or a bad one. * Whether the peer pressure is good or bad, teenagers are the ones making the decision. If they want peer pressure to influence them it’s them who have decided to let it affect them. * If they don’t want to be influence by peer pressure there is a way to avoid them and that is by saying â€Å"NO†. GLOSSARY 1. Cliques. A group which is small and exclusive consisting people who share interests, views, purposes, patterns of behavior, or ethnicity. 2. Craze. A style or fashion which is popular for a brief period of time. 3. Crowd. A group of people according to their status. 4. Deviant. A person that differs from a norm, especially a person whose behavior and attitudes differ from accepted social standards. . Fad. A fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm by a group. 6. Gang. A group of people who are band together, especially a group of delinquents. 7. Norm. A pattern for an organization especially in the way of behaving. 8. Groupthink. The act or practice of reasoning or decision making by a band or an organization. 9. Loner. A person who avoid s the company of others. 10. Outcast. A person that has been ejected or excluded from a society. 11. Peer. A member of a group of people of the same age, ability, etc. 12. Peer Group. A social organization consisting of people of the same age, status, ability, etc. 13. Pressure. An act to strongly persuade someone to do something they do not want to do. 14. Racism. A behavior that is discrimination or prejudice. 15. Rebel. An act to resist or to fight against something that they don’t like. 16. Roles. The characteristic and expected social behavior of an individual. 17. Self-identity. The awareness of and identification with oneself as a separate individual. 18. Socialite. A person who is or seeks to be prominent in fashionable society. 19. Trends. A style which is current or latest. 20. Values. Beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an emotional investment, either for or against something. BIBLIOGRAPHY Acero,Victorina O. , Javier, Evelyn S. , Castro, Herminia O. â€Å"Adolescence Stage†. Human Growth, Development and Learning. First Edition, Rex Book Store, Manila: Philippines, 2004. Brown, Bardford. â€Å"Adolescent Relationships with Peers†. Handbook of Adolescent Psychology. Second Edition, Skeinkopff, New York: United States of America, 2004. Fong, Dr. David. â€Å"Who’s Afraid of the Evil Dead? †. Surviving Teenagers. Geddes Grosset, New Lanark: Scotland, 2007. King, Jenny. â€Å"My Friends†. Teenager Life. Wordline Books, Manila: Philippines, 2002. Morris, Charles C. , Maisto, Albert A. â€Å"Relationship with Peers†. Understanding Psychology. Fourth Edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River: New Jersey, 1996. Nairne, James S. â€Å"Group Conformity†. Psychology: The Adaptive Mind. Second Edition, Wadsworth, California: United States of America, 2000. Santrock, John W. â€Å"Exploring Peer Relations†. Adolescence. Tenth Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York: United States of America, 2005. Sferra, Adam, Rice, Louis A. Wright, Mary Elizabeth. â€Å"Group Activities†. Personality and Human Relations. Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York: United States of America, 1961. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/peer_pressure http://www. buzzle. com/articles/negative-and-positive-effects-of-peer-pressure. html http://www. thecoolspot. gov/peer_pressure3. asp http://candymag. com/m agazine/features/how-to-deal-with-peer-pressure http://sitemaker. umich. edu/356. tran/true_clique APPENDICES Appendix â€Å"A† Sample Questionnaire Appendix â€Å"B† Sample of Answered Questionnaire Appendix â€Å"C† The Respondents