9781422272329

1 CHAPTER

The Nature of Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is one of those problems that many people believe they will outgrow as they get older. Unfortunately, this problem never truly goes away. Peer pressure is usually at its worst during the early years of a person’s life. During the teenage years, young people are often put under intense pressure to go along with the things that their friends or peer group are doing. That can include unhealthy habits, such as nicotine use through smoking cigarettes, vaping, or chewing tobacco. The adverse effects that peer pressure can have on a young person can be devastating when not properly managed. Therefore, it is essential to fully understand this danger and avoid it whenever possible. First of all, young people must understand what peer pressure means—it is direct or indirect pressure by members of their peer group to engage in certain actions. Often, the pressure is persistent and unwanted, and the action is something that the person does not want to do. A person’s peer group is usually made up of people similar to them in age, interests, and/or socioeconomic status. For example, your peer group would likely consist of the other young people who live in your neighborhood or those whom you interact with in school, on sports or dance teams, or in other extracurricular activities. Do you

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