Teenagers tend to be influenced by the attitudes and behavior of their peers, and this phenomenon is known as peer group pressure. While this trend can bring certain advantages for young individuals, the main disadvantages, in my view, clearly outweigh them.
On the one hand, peer influence can expose young people to new perspectives that they have never experienced before. For instance, no matter what topic is, discussing ideas with each other and exchanging views can help develop stronger communication skills and gain new perspectives. Therefore, peer influence can be genuinely useful in this way. However, there is no guarantee that this is always the case, as being influenced by the wrong group of friends may have negative consequences.
On the other hand, essential drawback of group pressure is that youngsters are unlikely willing to agree with their parents’ advice in some cases, which plays a vital role in their lives and decision-making processes. One clear illustration of this is a recent study involving 457 adolescents which found that 88% of participants changed their decisions after observing their peers, which risky choices being particularly likely to be followed. This indicates how strong peer pressure can be during adolescence. Consequently, adolescents tend to listen to their peers without thinking logically instead of making decisions independently. Moreover, if juveniles’ friends do not approach their studies seriously, teenagers may also start to avoid classes and study less. Declining academic performance and lower achievements can be the direct results of this.
In conclusion, although group pressure may cause certain positive habits, its negative effects, in terms of loss of individuality and conflicts with parents far outweigh these positives.