The high cost of fitting in: the reality of peer pressure

Ainiyah Brown 

Features and Entertainment Editor  

According to Hot Ground Gym, roughly 85% of all high schoolers have felt or experienced peer pressure. 

Photo courtesy of www.talkitoutnc.org

“I think young adults, probably 13-17 years old, are very often victims of peer pressure. Teenagers start experimenting when they hit puberty, and it can lead to peer pressure, even if it wasn’t on purpose,” senior Madilyn Kunkel said. 

According to the National Institutes of Health, hormonal surges linked to pubertal development in adolescence are believed to impact multiple aspects of brain development, including peer relations.  

 “I've seen kids that gave in to peer pressure because they were more introverted and joined social clubs just to kind of be a part of their peer group. So that's kind of a positive lead because even though they are introverted, they join drama or gaming clubs, and it causes their peer group to be a little bit larger, and even though they are introverts, they have other people to come in contact with,” social worker Mr. Ballard says. 

Ballard goes on to say that he’s also seen it the opposite way, where a student falls into peer pressure and starts to do things that they think other kids are doing and gets exposed on social media. It's not just the peer pressure you get in school; it's worldwide.  

“Seeing people living their Instagram-perfect lives is a form of peer pressure in a way. You see ‘everyone’ doing something online, and you begin to question your life and if you should be doing it too. I think we all experience that to some degree,” English teacher Mrs. Hysell says, agreeing with the factor of social media influencing the effects of peer pressure. 

Due to the high expectations set by social media and its trends, most students often feel the need to do the same. If they had joined a trend, they could be criticized. If they don't know of a new song, they could be condemned.

“I think fear of being ostracized or bullied is one of the biggest reasons why students conform to peer pressure. High school students tend to try and fit in with whoever they can. This desire to fit in and simply have a reliable group of friends to navigate school can sometimes lead to doing something for the wrong reasons,” English teacher Ms. Perez said. 

With different social groups come different personalities. A student may be drawn to what they think is cool or what they think everyone else will think is cool. 

“Kids are just trying to fit in and make friends with different groups because they came from all these different schools, so their personalities might change because everyone has a definition or an idea of who is the cool kid or how to fit in. Sometimes kids change just to fit into a certain group,” Mr. Ballard said.

Mentally Healthy Schools published an article stating that negative peer pressure is often related to influencing bullying behaviors, drinking alcohol, drug use, and negative body image, all of which are harmful to a person’s well-being. The effects of such behaviors can decrease self-confidence and self-worth. Research shows that there is a direct, positive correlation between peer pressure and depression in young people.

“Peer pressure can be detrimental to the mental health and well-being of students. When students feel pressured to conform to certain behaviors or expectations set by their peers, they may experience heightened levels of stress and anxiety,” Ms. Perez said. 

Perez went on to say that it is particularly true when the expectations are in conflict with an individual's values, interests, or personal identity. Trying to meet these expectations, whether related to academic performance, social status, or engaging in risky behaviors, can result in feelings of inadequacy or fear of rejection.

Peer pressure can have a huge impact on relationships, mental health, personal identity, values, and interests. Peer pressure isn't always negative and can have positive impacts on an individual's life, but negative peer pressure can lead to addictions and put individuals into life-threatening situations. It's especially important to be wary when in a situation where students feel uncomfortable.