PEER PRESSURE: Combat by NOT ALLOWING

Every teenager encounters this thing called “peer pressure” . The pressure is unavoidable, although you can ignore it sometimes but you can’t escape it. It will hunt you almost every day you try to avoid it. So how can we handle peer pressure?

While surfing the net, I came across in an article entitled Beating Peer Pressure made by Mike Hardcastle in the site called Teen Advice. The article defined some tips and guidelines how a teen can easily handle peer pressure. It is essential to know how to manage your attitude and behavior toward your peers if you want to keep them by your side.

STEP 1:

Before beating the peer pressure, knowing first the signs if we are trap in that said peer pressure is the first step to combat it. Mike cited traits that put you at higher risk for falling in to the peer pressure trap includes:

• low self esteem
• lack of confidence
• uncertainty about ones place within a given peer group
• no personal interests exclusive of one's peer group
• feeling isolated from peers and/or family
• poor academic abilities or performance
• fear of one's peers
• lack of strong ties to friends
• feeling that friends could turn on you
• close bond with a bully

STEP 2:

According to Mike, in handling peer pressure preparing a mental script of how you would like to deal with uncomfortable situations. Script out the reaction you want to have in a given situation and play that script out in your head over and over again. You know where to stand on key issues like sex, drugs and alcohol. Don't allow anybody to make you deviate from your position. Never be afraid to speak up and let others know your boundaries. You may get a bit of teasing at first but most people respect the boundaries of others when they know what they are. Think of yourself as a leader and act accordingly. The more you see yourself in a leadership role the more comfortable you will feel asserting your own opinions and feelings.

STEP 3:

He also pointed out that always be comfortable with our choices. If you give in and do something that is contrary to your character or core value system it will cause you distress later and you will feel regret.When peer pressure rears its ugly head try to focus on how you feel about what is happening rather than getting caught up in the crowd. Always stand up for what you think is right. Remember, peer pressure can only win if you let it.

Actually it is like planning on what will going to react and what to do if you are in that certain situation. Through it you will not be able to have a wrong move because you already plan for it. Repeatedly speaking up to others what's really in you, what's in your mind and let them know will let them respect it sooner or later. If you don't want, refuse it. Don't allowed them to rule over self and put you in the wrong path. Do what is right, so that others with the same situation you have will inspire and follow you. You are the most important person that can help yourself from it.

This information is very useful for every member in the peer group. If a peer group learns how to handle the pressure among them, they will be united and retain the harmony and peace among them. The pressure handling techniques are really very easy to follow. Peer groups may have a fun and healthy relationship as well as good communication with each other avoiding unwanted quarrels and fights.

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION (First Draft)

The Good and Bad Effect of Peer Pressure on Teenagers

A Research Paper Presented to 

Sir Dustin Celestino 

Asia Pacific College 

Magallanes, Makati City 

In Partial Fulfilment 

of the Requirements for the Course 

RESWRIT – Research Writing 

Janette J. Manese

October 2012

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

            Peer pressure is commonly applied to younger people, especially those teenagers. Responding to peer pressure is part of human nature that some teenagers are more likely to give in, and others are better able to resist and stand their ground. Peer pressure is one thing that all teens have in common. Some can't escape it because it is almost everywhere. Peer pressure is defined as the way that people of the same social group can influence on another individual to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted.

            Teens are very quick and accurate in making judgments and decisions on their own and in situations where they have time to think. However, when they have to make decisions in the heat of the moment or in social situations, their decisions are often influenced by external factors like peers. In a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), teen volunteers played a video driving game, either alone or with friends watching. What the researchers discovered was that the number of risks teens took in the driving game more than doubled when their friends were watching as compared to when the teens played the game alone. This outcome indicates that teens may find it more difficult to control impulsive or risky behaviors when their friends are around, or in situations that are emotionally charged.

            It can also have a positive effect. Friends often encourage each other,  encourage others to do worst and they can also encourage to do good. A teen might join a volunteer project because all of his or her friends are doing it, or get good grades because the social group he or she belongs to thinks getting good grades is important. A positive peer group can help boost her self-esteem. It might prevent her from engaging in harmful or risky behaviors.
            In this way, peer influence can lead teens to engage in new activities that can help build strong pathways in the brain. As described in the article, “Teens and Decision Making: What Brain Science Reveals”, neural connections that are weak or seldom used are removed during adolescence through a process called synaptic pruning, allowing the brain to redirect precious resources toward more active connections. This means that teens have the potential, through their choices and the behaviors they engage in, to shape their own brain development. Therefore, skill-building activities such as those physical, learning, and creative endeavors that teens are often encouraged to try through positive peer influence not only provide stimulating challenges, but can simultaneously build strong pathways in the brain. 
           

            While we are constantly influenced by those around us because most young people spend large amounts of time  with them. But still it is up to us to decide to act or not to act . So when it comes to decision making, the choice is up to you. For instances an individual tempted to take drugs, teens who have been armed with information of what drug use can do to their body, mind and spirit through a good Drug Awareness Program, are less likely to give in to the pressure than those who have not been educated on the harms it can cause.

           Looking at the modern society, most of the teenagers are not aware with the pressure they can experience together with their peers; most especially when they already feel that they are belong in the group. Teenagers need to be conscious with the consequences of choosing people to be with. Teenagers need to be guided and have the knowledge to critically deal with the matter of peer pressure.

Instead of watching teenagers suffer from peer pressure, this paper may help us to have considerations and idea on guiding them with the right path. This paper focuses on the important matters to consider in choosing people to be with.

B. Statement of the Problem

This study aims to answer this question:

1.       What are the important matters to consider in choosing people to be with?

C. Significance of the Study

Teenagers. This research paper would be able to help teenagers to carefully choose people to be with. They can be able to be guided in choosing their group to be fit in. They need to critically think where they should go and what way they wanted to be. This research paper aims to help most especially teenagers because they are the one who are being affected with this issue.

Parents. Parents can have the idea of the issue that their child was going through. They can be able to have the idea of the proper way of guiding their child so that teenagers would be able to take chances of doing right things together with their peers.

Future Researchers. This study can be a source of information for the future researchers especially this study is widely discuss yet, society is not really aware and conscious about this issue. Researchers can be a way to let people know the importance of having knowledge about peer pressure.

D. Scope and Delimitation

            This study focuses on the importance of choosing people to be with. This study will discuss also the pressure involves in peers. Peer pressures have been considered as one of the most major problem of the society today.

This study will no longer discuss other matters of peer pressure and also the cases and sensitive issues involving peer pressure. This is also to give emphasis to the pressure that the teenagers will encounter during their maturity and possible experiences.

E. Materials and Methods

            This paper uses a descriptive method because the researcher aims to describe the good and bad influence of peer pressure and to discuss further its effects on the teenagers by gathering information about the topic, analyzing past studies conducted related to the topic, interviews, surveys or comments from different people and then make appropriate conclusion about it.

F. Definition of Terms

Peers.  One belonging to the same social group especially based on age, grade, or status.

Pressure.  It is the burden of physical or mental distress. It is the feeling that you are being pushed toward making a certain choice either good or bad.

Peer Pressure. The way that people of the same social group can influence on another individual to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted.

OUTLINE OF RESEARCH PAPER

REFINING THE RESEARCH FOCUS

Peer Pressure

The influence of Peer Pressure

The good and bad effect of Peer Pressure

The good and bad effect of Peer Pressure on people

The good and bad effect of Peer Pressure on teenagers

SKELETON OF AN OUTLINE

      I.  Introduction

 A. Background of the study

 B.  Statement of the Problem

 C. Significance of the Study

 D. Scope and Delimitation

 E. Materials and Methods

 F. Definition of Terms 

II.  Peer Pressure

 A.      Good Effects

1.      Enhancing good study habits

2.      Spending leisure time wisely

3.      Avoiding vices

4.      Learning to have respect for others

5.      Having consideration for others

6.      Practicality

 B.      Bad Effects

1.      Involved in vices

2.      Selfishness

3.      Laziness

4.      Don’t respect others

5.      Being materialistic

 C.      Good Peers

1.      Top/Honor students

2.      People with credibility

 D.     Bad Peers

1.      Addict

2.      Trouble-minded

III.   Conclusion

IV.   References

Let Mentoring Be Our Knowledge

Most of us are not aware of the peer mentoring, but I think it is essential for teenagers. Mentoring can help the teenagers to avoid people who can bring them down. Who can take them to have such kind of vices.

While surfing the net, I came across in an article entitled The Benefits of Teen Mentoring in the site called Suite101. The article stated the importance of having the peer mentoring. It helps the teenagers to have the knowledge about the possible good effects of choosing their peers. The ones who can help them avoid vices and bad things that life can bring them if they do not think wisely.

The peer mentoring, I think can be a very big help for the teenagers most especially for those who are not aware of what possible life they can have with people they choose to influence them.

We should learn to take the chance to be mentored by professional people because they are the one who can possibly help and guide us to be a better individual. We can never loose something if we tried to take what they teach us. We should open our eyse and our ears to learn about the facts of life. We can be able to manage and deal with what they can do for us. 

Don’t Let It Affect You, Be Brave!

Teenagers tend to have the eagerness to belong in such group they called “the cool group” wherein they think of having a group of people in the sense of their benefit of having the power to control somebody’s life and the way the group can influenced people because of their popularity and their power.

While surfing the net, I came across in this article made by Uttarra Manohar entitled Effects of Peer Pressure in the site called Buzzle. This article can open our eyes for the possible effects of the desires of an teenager to belong in what they call the “cool group”. The unconsciousness of the teenagers today are very rare. As long as they enjoy the group of people who they feel to be with, they tend to forget what are the right and the bad things to do as long as they are with the people who they feel belonged and respected as an individual. But come to think friends will not be always be there to grants us the brighter side of life. They can also push us to be in the dark side of life.

"Often you find teenaged children indulging in unprotected sex with multiple partners just because they think everyone is doing it and hence it is 'cool'. The parameters of good and bad have been replaced by 'what's in' and 'what's out'. Peer pressure is nothing but the incessant desire of the children to be perceived as 'happening' and 'cool' in order to belong to a particular group. Often at schools and colleges the students are always forming groups, and there is a lot of group politics and bullying than you can ever imagine." Uttarra said and she pointed out that by simple and effective parenting parents can be able to guide their children on dealing with peer pressure.

It is important for the teenagers to realize that life doesn’t required us to have people who will push us to do worst. We are required to find people who will take us to do better. Friends are there to be our sword and we should never consider them to influence us to do evil.

Life can give us the chance to try new things in life, but we should always consider to do the right thing. It is our quality as an individual and we should take that as a consideration for our future career in life. We should never have the outlook of having a bad record just because we choose to be with the people who take us to the wrong path. 

Exercise 1: FORMAL LANGUAGE

ORIGINAL:

Do you want to have a lot of friends? Almost everyone do have and I'm sure you are belong to that. But it is a good thing if you are a true friend to your friends. This is how you attract many people to come to you and it gives a reason to the people surrounds you to want to build relationships with you.

CONVERSION:

Do you want to have a lot of friends? Most of people considered to have lot of circle of friends and it has a tendency that you luckily belong to that category. But it is more prefer if one considered himself/herself a true friend. By this reason most probably one tremendously attract  people to get friends with him/her and much more gives a reason for the people surrounds him/her to want to build a relationships with him/her. 

Friendly Little Guide

As an individual we should know what and whom are suit to be involved with our lives. Well, as we can see most of the teenagers would like to have their own group that they think can help them to grow and to mature. To experience new things in life. For you what are the qualities of a group that you would want to belong with? To share moments and to learn with?  Aside from our family, friends are one of the most necessary people to our lives because when were  not at home, the people who are we can be together is our FRIENDS.

As I searched for an article that contains some guidelines on choosing people to be with, I came across in this site called Life Coaching containing an article made by Chris Wesley entitled Choose Your Friends Wisely - They Control Who You are. This article can teach us how to determine people and what are their role in our lives. It also involves us to learn more about ourselves  and how we can be able to socialize with the right people. It stated that friends can help us not only in terms of knowing our worth, but also they can help us to see what we can do. Friends help us to discover things we might never know just by ourselves. But then the most important part is for us to choose the right circle of friends to have and who are essential to our lives.


Chris cited some questions to help you think about how well-chosen your friends are:

1. Do you feel good about yourself with your friends? Friends sometimes have agendas which don't serve you very well. Do you feel disapproved of often? Good friends will tell you what you need to know if when you don't want to hear it, but some friends may have other reasons for showing you their disapproval. If that happens too often, your self esteem may suffer.

2. Do you feel good about your friends? It’s not unusual to spend time with people for reasons like convenience, lack of an alternative, feelings of obligation, habit, and so on. But do you like them? Do you think they are good people? If you had to start again and build a new set of friends, would they make it into the team?

3. Do your friends support your aspirations? Are all your mates are from your schooldays or from work or from your neighborhood or social class? Are they all of the same gender or outlook? If so, then they may act in very subtle ways to keep you consistent with their sense of identity.

4. Givers and takers. Does your friend leave you feeling better or worse? Good friendships are all about mutual support and growth, but some friends are big takers – they dump their problems on you, tell you what you can’t do, play on your fears and keep you where you are. You may want to limit how often you see these friends, and so limit their drain on your own energies. Instead, find friends where the balance is more even; where mutual support and growth is the norm.

In my opinion, and by experience I think friends are very important to every person’s life because they are the one who can give us the need of belongingness. People tend to be lonely at some point of their lives, but friends will always be there to guide us and can make us feel that we are not even lonely because they are the one who can always be there. But first thing we must consider is that people have their own differences.

As an important tip, we should choose people that can make an important role to our lives. People who can influence us to do good things that can make us better. People come and go, and we should never consider those people who would use us to get what they need in life. We should consider those people who will help us and will never leave us along the way and that people are those who we call “friends” 

In addition to the information that I have learned, there are some questions that I would like to discover for me to answer it. Here they are:

1. What are the benefit of choosing people to be with?

2. What are the cons and prons of having peer pressure?

3. Why we are friends to our friends?

In order for me to answer the above questions, I should read more information from articles, blogs that talks about Peer Pressure and anything else that can help me.