Positive peer pressure is when someone’s peers influence them to do something positive or growth building. For example, peers who are committed to doing well in school or at sport can influence others to be more goal orientated. Similarly, peers who are kind, loyal or supportive influence others to be the same.
Q. How do peer friendships in adolescence differ from those in childhood?
Children’s notions of friendship often focus on shared activities, whereas adolescents’ notions of friendship increasingly focus on intimate exchanges of thoughts and feelings. During adolescence, peer groups evolve from primarily single-sex to mixed-sex.
Q. How do peer relationships affect adolescent development?
Although adolescents tend to engage in risky behavior more around peers than alone, peer groups can provide an arena in which adolescents can learn, clarify and maintain norms for social behaviors as well as practice these behaviors, promoting socioemotional competence during a time when youth are attempting to form …
Q. How can peers influence unhealthy behaviors?
Peer presence stimulates eating: The presence of friends stimulates kids’ and teens’ eating behavior. This peer presence effect is true for unhealthy as well as healthy foods. But when kids think their friends would disapprove, peer presence does not increase eating behavior.
Q. How do family and peers affect our attitudes?
Parents and friends generally play a role in shaping the behavior and beliefs of an individual—through parent expectations or peer pressure. Therefore, the people who tend to become the greatest influencers in our lives tend to be those closest to us—our friends and family.
Q. How does peer pressure affect teenage behavior?
Peer pressure might encourage teens to become more active in athletics or to avoid risky behaviors. Or it could lead them to try alcohol or drugs, skip school or engage in other negative behaviors. “Teens have extra unconnected synapses in the area where risk-assessment occurs and this gets in the way of judgement.
Q. How does family influence your behavior?
A study that followed children over a ten year period showed that positive relationships among children and their relatives led to more positive, healthy behaviors in life. Their physical health, taking care of themselves and making healthy choices, was connected with their family experiences as young children.
