INSTRUCTOR:
Silvia Birsan
MARKING SCHEME
OUTLINE
COVER PAGE
APPROPRIATE REFERENCING
BIBLIOGRAPHY
PROPER STRUCTURE
THOROUGHNESS
-3
-1
-3
-3
-5
- 10
------Total 25
RESEARCH PAPER REQUIREMENTS
COVER PAGE -- This will include a) the title of your essay b) The date c) The course
name and number d) The instructor’s name e) Your name and student number.
REFERENCES – You must acknowledge each source for facts, statistics, paraphrases and
quotations, as is done in your textbook. (I.e. Myers, 1989)
BIBLIOGRAPHY -- All your references will be listed at the back of the essay, on a
separate page, using APA style (as is done in your textbook). All the material used
whether for quotations or paraphrases must be photocopied and attached to your essay in
the same order as they are used in the essay. The quotations used should be highlighted or
underlined.
Title: Teenage Peer Pressure
Date: November 11, 2013
Course name: Developmental Psychology HDEV
INSTRUCTOR:
Student name: Claudette Grange
Student number:
No matter what stage you are in life as long as you are connected to another person the
likelihood of them influencing you in some fashion is simply human nature. Peer
pressure among teenagers poses a greater challenge since they lack the skills to
navigate through stress that others may brought on to them. Also, as children develop
they are faced with all sort of challenging decisions that they have to make. According
to Longmuir, (HDEV pg.230) a shift in parent child relationship, identity crisis, the need
for acceptance and for friendship, and even physiological changes are some of the
factors that influence teenage peer pressure. This phase of adolescence, also known as
the "formative years", is the theme of much study and enquiry to conclude why
adolescents are susceptible to the phenomenon called peer pressure. This paper will
investigate how teenage peer pressure causes conformity, how it influences deviance
among teenagers and how it causes rebellion.
Most of the adolescent’s years are often marked by worry and misperception. Many
teenagers struggle with identity issues, quickly adjusting their preferences in clothes,
music and acquaintances as they determine what fits and what does not. Even though
some teens are egotistic about not following anyone else within their school, however
they seem to appearance similar to all the other non-conformists in their school
Conformity is neither good nor bad and is a daily activity carried out by society.
However, teenage peer pressure has influence adolescents to conform. For example,
within the Islamic cultures there are dietary restrictions that are expected to be followed
by both adults and children. Somehow, many adolescents find themselves between a
rock and a hard place trying to fit in with their friend, and following the teachings of their
religion. They want the freedom to go out with their friend to socialize for lunch so they
sometime conform to eating whatever their friends are eating, so as not to stick out as a
sore thumb. Conformity sometimes happens without one even knowing that they are
doing so. Take for instant, teens that watch shows on the television of other teens and
start to pattern their lifestyle after them. The media dictates what they should wear, what
they should say and even their actions with the opposite sex. Most teens shown in the
media portray teenagers as being sexually involved. Therefore, other teens suppose
that to be the norm, or even view sex to be a commodity and adopt that kind of
behavior.
The adolescence years are noted as a time of search and discovery of one’s self;
therefore, it’s only natural for someone going through this phase to forsake everything
that they know to be fundamental. Deviance when you first here the word will make you
think of behavior that is immoral, illegal, perverse or just wrong (Sociology text).
However, for teenagers it’s a time of searching, discovering and straying from the norm
where everything is questioned. This experience is often brought on by peer pressure.
In history there was a time in 1940s where “Blacks and Latinos” were noted to be
deviant because they adopted a unique style of dressing called the Zoot –Suit ( J.
Steckley and G. K. Leets pg. 128). One example of deviance in today’s society is how
our teen feels that the norm to be accepted by their peers is to be a part of the growing
fashion trend. Today teens face subliminal message from other teenagers who wear
their pants way below their waist. Many teens seem to enjoy the reaction they receive
from authoritative figures when they deviate to this inclination.
Another form of deviance that can be noted among adolescence is evidence in teenage
crimes. The majority of teenage crimes that are committed rarely have anything to do
with committing the crime itself, but more to do with the yearning to fit. There is also the
thrill for experiment and to break regulations.
Peer pressure lead one to assume and accept as true that there can be nothing more
significant and thrilling than belonging to a clique. Being left out has devastating impact
on adolescence therefore; the fear of isolation drives them to groups who might be
taking part in harmful activities. (Internet) Examples of deviant behaviors that teens get
pressured into doing can range from shoplifting to murder. According to (internet source
on Peer Pressure &Crime) funding is used as an initiating means to be a part of the
group. These teen have to steal either from a family member, most often a mother or
grandmother. Or they might be influenced to shoplift from stores which complete an
initiation process with their group.
According to (Berk, pg.314) in Eric Erikson’s Theory of Identity versus role confusion
individuals in this stage become more inclined to peer pressure, due to the swing in
emotional need from parents to peers. Teens may experience a calamity period as they
search other possibility before settling on values and goals. Within this struggle
adolescences find themselves choosing a path of crime and only when he/she may be
sitting in a prison cell for taking part in a murder; would the reality hits them that they
have deviated from the norm.
As much as conformity and deviance among adolescence are synonymous with
teenage peer pressure, rebellion easily joins that category and might be one of the most
obvious. Rebellion in teens is often marked by a desire to break free from parental
hovering; which drive teenagers to seek refuge among other peers. They then take
council from who might be closest to them, which includes their peers, hip hop music
and even the media. According to (Davis, para. 1) this is brought about by actions like,
speed driving, breaching curfew, disagreement, and cutting classes. Teenagers can
push your patience and some of the time they are influenced by other peers. Some kids
go as far as unashamedly breaking rules or violate the commandment, often with
disastrous results. It is so tempting for adults to become overwhelmed with this difficult
stage in teens life, but David Elkin states in the journal sited by (Davis), that while
younger children don't see the defects in their parents, adolescents abruptly perceive
the world more pragmatically. Another area in adolescence rebellion is evident in their
attempt to break free of parental decisions. In this attempt they are more prone to lean
to the wisdom of their peers than that of their parents which may cause them to rebel
against their own self-interests, childhood dreams, accomplishments, and affiliations
that they once hold dear says (Pickhardt, 2009). Many teens that find themselves in this
state or among other teens that are rebelling get pressured into doing drugs, sexual
behavior, alcohol and other destructive conducts.
In conclusion, peer pressure seems to be a widely acknowledged and highly influential
component of adolescence developmental stage. With this subject so widely
investigated it is safe to say that teenage peer pressure has adverse effects on teens. It
challenges teens in the aspects of conformity, deviant behavior and rebellion.
REFERRENCE
Berk, Laura E., Exploring lifespan development, (2nd edition) 2010,Allen & Bacon,
Pearson
David, Currie, (nd.). Tackling the teenage crisis: Helping parents survive adolescent
rebellion
http://powertochange.com/family/rebellion/
Jeanie, Davis Lerche, Teenager: Why do they rebel, (2013/11/11)
Retrieve from: http://children.webmd.com/features/teenagers-why-do-they-rebel
PHD, Pickhardt Carl, (2009/12/06) Psychology Today, 2013/11/12
Retrieve from: www.psycholosytoday.com/blog\surviving-your-childadolesence/20019/rebel-cause-rebellion-in-adolescence
PHD, Pickhardt Carl E., (2009/12/06), Rebel with a Cause: Rebellion in Adolescence,
Retrieve from: www.psychologytoday.com/.../rebel-cause-rebellion-in-adolescence,
(2013/11/12)
Rathus, Longmuir, HDEV, Human Development,(2012)Nelson
Steckley,John &Letts,Guy K.,(2007),Elements of Sociology, A critical Canadian , Oxford
Author unknown, Peer Pressure and Crime, Retrieved from URL
news.google.com/newspapers?nid=437&dat=20060616&id