Peer Pressure

Cmon dude, you hafta try it. I dont want to. Its cool, and its funtheres nothing bad about it, unless you get caught. I really dont think. Dont be wimp, man! If you wanna be cool like us, you gotta be bad like us! Now are you in, or not? Well, I guess

Your best friend Bobby is trying to persuade you to try cocaine. When a so-called friend tries to make you do something wrong, whether its drugs, alcohol, stealing, or cheating, its called peer pressure. Have you ever been involved in a situation similar to this before? Every day, kids all over the world are persuaded by acquaintances to do things that they shouldnt do. Many circumstances involving peer pressure can have bad results; however, peer pressure is not always negative like the situation above.

A healthy part of every child’s development is involvement with their peers. This is especially true during adolescence as teenagers develop a sense of independence from their parents. Peer pressure plays an incredible influence in the lives of people all over the world. Most everyone has different ideas and visions toward peer pressure.

Members of a peer group often dress alike, they talk about similar things, like the same music, laugh at the same jokes, and share secrets. In today’s world, peer groups and peer pressure are powerful influences on adolescent behavior. When a young person becomes overly dependent upon negative peer groups, the results can be serious. They can lose their sense of right and wrong, and even get tragically involved with drugs and alcohol. Although there are ways that peer pressure can have a negative impact on children, there are also some wonderful, positive influences given by ones companions. They can help you make the right choices, or persuade you to do something really great. In the book The Contender, Robert Lipsyte does indeed describe peer pressure on adolescents effectively.

The main character of the story, Alfred Brooks, is a young black teenager living in Harlem, New York during the 1960s. Throughout the book, he comes face-to-face with many good and bad cases regarding peer pressure. Having a friend to help you make your way on the right path in life is a wonderful advantage to anybody at any age. However, many people make misjudgments on their buddies and pals. Many youths have friends who could lead them into dangerous situations.

Smoking, drinking, stealing, cheating, fightingall of these are examples of factors that teenagers all over the world encounter during their lives. Friends are very important to kids of all ages. A good friend is someone who you can relate to, and most important, who you can trust. However, teens these days often find themselves stuck in situations where their so-called friend pressures them to do something that is wrong. There are many severe consequences when you give in to negative peer pressure; not only can you get into an extensive amount of trouble, but it is also an easy way to lose a friend.

For example, Tracy tries to convince her good friend Suzy to do drugs. This astonishes Suzy! Do you think that Suzy will want to stay friends with Tracy? If Suzy had given in to Tracys persuasion, and gotten into trouble, do you think that Suzys best friend Mary will want to remain close friends? A hurricane of tragic events could follow, and Suzy could find herself sinking deeper and deeper into the pit of desperation and depression. Trust is an important factor in both family life, and relationships with other people. Making a wrong choice could cause a permanent break in that trust.

For example, Joe is pushed by his buddies to steal the test answers out of the teachers desk. When he is caught, he denies ever taking anything. This situation involves stealing, cheating, and also lying. When the answer sheet is found in Joes locker, do you think that his teacher will ever trust him again? What about his parents? As you can see, a simple mistake can reap consequences that can change your life forever.

“Peer pressure is an influence that creates change or the desire for change and, often, that change is very positive.” -Marilyn Segal, Ph.D.

How can peer pressure have a good influence? Peers can applaud a friends achievement when she wins a tennis tournament, encourage her to try out for the school play, or challenge her to study harder. They teach compromise in a way that parents and siblings can’t, since a child who insists on having his or her own way all the time won’t end up having many friends. One benefit of positive peer pressure is that it can actually help a child develop a sense of morality.

A group of teens can get together and do something positive for the community by giving up themselves; they can see the results of their effort and feel a sense of pride in their accomplishment, which improves their self- image. Peers provide reinforcement for the values that a child learns at home. For example, a parent at home teaches their child the importance of honesty. When a group of kids bring something like drugs or alcohol to school, it can make you feel like you are torn between covenant of friendship, and what you know is right. When another friend has the courage to turn these friends in, it reinforces your instinct that honesty is always the best policy. The most well brought up child must take his or her values out into the world and test them with peers.

The Contender is a story of a young black teenager living in Harlem during the 1960s, when the Civil Rights movement is beginning to open doors for African Americans. Alfred Brooks has dropped out of high school and his life is going nowhere. The book takes the reader through a plethora of circumstances in which peer pressure is involved. Major, Sonny, and Hollis are three brutal, tough, hoodlum-type boys who hang out at the local club. They like to be known as the bad guys, and are always looking for trouble.

At the beginning of the book, Alfred goes to the clubroom to find his best friend James hanging out with them. Alfred and James had been planning to go to the movies that night, but James had forgotten. Then, Major and the boys got up and said that they were going to rob the cash registers at the nearby grocery store. Alfred watched his once-best-friend follow the boys. Major called out to Alfred, Are you coming, or not? Freeze. This right here is a perfect example of contrary peer pressure. Should he follow? Is it worth it? His best friend is going with themshould he go too? Fortunately, in the story, Alfred refuses to go with them, and he walks his own separate way.

Many times during the book, he is faced with similar conditions. As the story goes on, Alfred realizes that his life is empty of excitement, challenge, determination, and even happiness. Estranged from his best friend and targeted by the gang of thugs, he desperately wants to turn his life around. One night, he wanders into a gym and meets Mr. Donatelli, a boxing manager deeply concerned for the fighters he trains. Alfred decides that this is what he wants. He puts himself through the severity and discipline of training, building perseverance and developing a true skill, while one question nags at him — whether he really has what it takes. However, Alfred sticks with it with the determination, positive advice and assistance of peers. In particular, his relationship with Mr. Donatelli is very important. Mr. Donatelli acts as both a role model and confidant to Alfred.

Mr. Donatelli believes in Alfred, and gives him the self-assurance he needs to make it. He trains Alfred to improve his ability to box, and he also teaches Alfred a substantial lesson on life; to push yourself to continue with whatever you dream of succeeding in. From the very beginning, Henry, a handicapped boy who helps out at the gym, kept trying to persuade Alfred to come to the gym. He encourages Alfred. In this case, peer pressure acted positively. Alfred went to the gym, started boxing, and couldnt remember the last time he felt so great. Henry watches Alfreds back, keeping him on track and out of trouble. When Alfred was beaten up on the streets, Henry found him and carried him home again. He went out of his way to help Alfred when he needed it, and never let him give up.

Spoon, a retired boxer who became a teacher, convinced Alfred to return to high school. He felt that without proper education, you couldnt get anywhere in life. Such positive influences on Alfred helped him turn his life around, and make positive choices. Without such peers, Alfred would still be a high-school dropout on the streets, heading nowhere.

Throughout his life, Alfred learned how incredibly important peer pressure is, especially in adolescence, when so many important choices need to be made. The positive and negative influences of others teach us important lessons, but the ultimate decision is ours. Robert Lipsyte uses such adroit writing in The Contender, teaching readers the values and influences of peer pressure. It provides an important message, that you need to follow your own heart, to do what you know is right, and to make the right choices when it comes to being involved with peer pressure. It is important to choose friends who build ones self-confidence and reinforce the values learned at home and in school. Life is full of opportunities; dont let them pass you by, by making the wrong choices.

Peer pressure plays a major factor in Robert Cormiers book, The Chocolate War. Peer pressure makes decisions, determines the outcome of conflicts, and often puts people in places they do not want to be in. Peer pressure is a big factor in The Chocolate War.

A chocolate sale every year is tradition at Trinity High School, and the Headmaster is often the person who puts it on, but this year he is sick, so he issues a sale. Brother Leon puts on the sale for Trinity, but he has a few changes. First, he spends too much of the schools money buying the chocolates. Second, the chocolates are being sold for twice the amount of money they were the year before. Lastly, there are twice as many chocolates to be sold than the previous year. Leon goes to the Vigils for help. The Vigils are the most powerful organization in Trinity, and students look up to them.

Archie Costello of the Vigils gives assignments to students and they have to do them, because he is powerful. Leon pulls Archie aside and tells him about the power he and the Vigils had in the school. The kid was quick to comply and Archie was pleased with his submissiveness. I am Archie. My wish becomes command, (239). Archie and the Vigils pitch in and do their part. The only problem is, one freshman will not accept the chocolates.

Jerry Renault is a freshman at Trinity and he refuses to sell the chocolates. He does this because the Vigils give him an assignment to refuse to sell the chocolates for ten days, and then accept them. After a few days word spreads of this and others stop selling chocolates and the school is losing money. I heard Brother Jacques saying that Leon was abusing his power of attorney. That hed overextended the schools finances, (162). Leon pressured Archie and the Vigils to help boost the sales any way they can. Perhaps you should start with Renault, Leon said.

I think he should be made to say yes instead of no, (165). Jerry encounters Emile Janza whom Archie told to make him accept the chocolates by beating him up and jeering at him, but Emile gets a bunch of kids to beat up Jerry instead of himself. The school thinks Emile is a wimp for getting a group of kids to fight for him. That is when Archie finds a way for Emile to fight Jerry, and sell the chocolates.

Archie plans a fight no more than a quarter mile from the school, in the schools field. It is between Jerry and Emile, and the crowd. The crowd is involved because they pick the punches each person throws. A raffle for the chocolates is also being held just to get enough money for the unsold boxes. Each raffle ticket has a punch and a name on it, the name that is on the ticket is the person who throws the punch, and the punch written down on the ticket is the type of punch they throw. Archie knew before the match that Jerry would fight because it was his chance to prove he was better than Emile. Archie pressured him into fighting the same way he pressured Emile into fighting.

The first few punches are given to Jerry. When it is Jerrys turn, he knocks Emile back who is surprised by the power the freshman has. Jerry slips up and tries to defend himself on an illegal move and Emile thinks all bets were off and starts beating him up at will. While this is going on, the crowd is cheering him on to finish him and Jerrys best friend is yelling for him. His voice was lost in the thunder or screaming voices, voices calling for the killkill him, kill him, (254). After a couple of shots, Jerry falls and his friend runs from the crowd to save him.

Brother Leon pressuring the Vigils to make kids sell the chocolates, Leon again pressuring the Vigils to help boost the sales, and the school pressuring Emile and Jerry to fight. Peer pressure is everywhere and controls lives in real life and in the book. Thats why people should not worry about what others think about them and they should be themselves.

Take for example, peer pressure from bad associates. They eight pressure us to ditch classes, cheat, drink alcohols, smoke, try taking drugs and influence us to disobey our parents. Another is peer pressure from our own wrong desires. Its given since in our teenage stage, we youth are adventurous. We wanted to try something new we haven’t experience yet and we crave on something we don’t have. Thus, being attentive can help us to caution ourselves from dangers.

If we see troubles coming in our way, don’t walk right in to it find another way. Secondly, think about the consequences. Why not ask yourself? For instance: How lives feel later if I give in? What may be the outcome? How can it affect the others, specially, to your love ones? Remember, bible says at Proverbs 14: 1 5, smart people watch their steps. Doing right decisions requires a lot of time to meditate. For this, we just don’t jump in to any conclusions. Use your imaginations.

Third step, we must plan ahead. Proverbs 24: 5, ‘with knowledge a man increases his power’. If we know why we don’t do those something and the reasons why it’s bad, we can have the strength to say No. There are two ways to do that, strengthen your convictions and seek good explanations. Know how to distinguish right from wrong and give them the right reason for them to to bother you again. Finally the fourth step, take action. Now, we don’t have to lecture them. Just say ‘No’, clearly and confident.

Stand firm in our beliefs for they are not theories but facts. Granted that, those beliefs are all according from the scriptures. Each time we show determinants to resist pressure, we grow strong and stronger. It’ll be easier for us to resist peer pressure the next time. Therefore, reacting to peer’s pressure depends on us. If we remain weak and unable to stand firm, well never get rid of it. Yes, they are inevitable but by following those steps, you’ll see things differently.

Primacy Effect is a cognitive bias that results from disproportionate salience of initial stimuli or observations. It is the tendency to remember well the first items, that will influence us more than the later information will. According to Solomon Asch (1946), “a glance, a few spoken words are sufficient to tell us a story about a highly complex matter” (pg. 258). Therefore, we often make our judgment of the person right from the . For example, if someone makes a good the moment they meet you, you will tend to dismiss negative attributes shown later in the person.

However, if someone were to make a bad first impression, they will have a hard time making a positive influence later on. In one study, the Asch had presented a list of six adjectives to a subject. It was revealed that subjects who had flattering descriptors were picked to be more likeable when their adjectives were in order from favorable to unfavorable. Therefore humans perceive the people around them by their independent trait. Humans often fill in the gaps of missing information. In another study that Asch (1946) conducted, the two different subjects were shown 2 lists A. bedient-weak-shallow-warm-unambitious-vain B. vain-shrewd- unscrupulous-warm-shallow-envious (pg. 267) results shows that the subjects were more influenced by the words that came before warm. They felt that in series A, the person was truly and genuinely a warm person. However, in series B the subjects felt that the warmth in the person lacks sincerity. (Asch, 1946, pg. 267). This clearly displays the primacy effect that humans different judgment of two different first impression, however with a similar central trait warm.

Therefore, we would perceive people with better physical appearances as more socially desirable and that the first impressions of them will be positive. Even if there were to be signs of any negative characteristics, humans tend allow these first impressions to become self-fulfilling prophecies and be naturally biased towards them. Reference: Asch, S. E. (1946). Forming impressions of personality. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 41(3), 258-290

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Life for a 16 old teenage boy was all about to be different. Dan, a typical teenager has all the interests a normal male would. While Dan’s parents are in Geneva, he stays with his aunt Jacq, a fashionable, and techno flavored, short haired, 23 year old uni student, in Brisbane. While staying there, he encounters a test of adult responsibilities, first love and battling through adolescence. Teenagers have been pressured into doing things they don’t want to do, Dan gives us an example of teenagers giving into peer pressure, forced to say that he was a student studying law at University.

Teens who are being pressured by their peers think that they will become more popular if they do the [pic] ‘cool’ thing even if it can cause themselves harm. Teenagers these days are dealing with peer pressure every day, from mates telling them to lie to their friends and family, drinking when they are underage and/or don’t want too. Dan discovers that his life isn’t that easy, winning people’s hearts, remembering 48 shades of brown, drinking under age and peer pressure.

This play shows how teenagers relate to real life, what they go through every day, what challenges they have to pass through, even what things they need to remember, such as passing school, remembering things for exams, juggling schoolwork and a social life. Dan’s first love starts right at the start of the book with one of Jacq’s uni friends who is currently a second-year Psychology student, Naomi, a pretty blonde 18 year old. Dan quickly realizes that Naomi has a thing for people who can name things, such as naming trees. When Dan realizes this, he tries to learn every shade of brown to impress the girl and win her heart.

Teens will do anything to impress their ‘first loves’ from remembering things for them, to impressing them with flowers, teens these days think that the other gender has a big impact in their lives, but sometimes this can cause them to forget the real things in life, like study and family. People forget what things are important in life as well, like school work, getting good grades to maintain a good OP, to set you up in life, but don’t forget family, family is something you need to be by your side, teenagers continue to forget what family they have, parent and siblings are wondering why teenagers are changing.

While at Jacq’s uni party, Dan gets himself into a sticky situation, he is pressured into lying to a girl called Imogen who is intoxicated, who continues to flirt with Dan while he is interested in Naomi. Dan goes with the flow and allows her to make out with him in his room, until Imogen becomes not to well and throws up all over him. This is happening more regularly, people drink too much, dance a little, make out a little, and become sick.

Teens are continuing drink more and more every weekend, we are continuing to hear about parties that are going wrong, people who are drunk and becoming violent or just being taken to hospital for drinking too much and having their stomach pumped. In this play, Philip Dean, has shown the relevance to what a normal teenager’s life would be, with a couple of bumps on the way. From love, to adolescences, he has shown the real way a male teenagers mind would work, what challenges in life, what things they need to remember; just like ‘48 Shades of Brown’.