Why Peer Pressure Can Be Both a Positive and a Negative Influence

Just about everyone experiences peer pressure at some point in their life. Although most people think of this phenomenon as being associated with the teenage years, when adolescents develop a sense of self and try to navigate the dynamics of adult relationships, it can occur at any age. Read on to find out why that can be both a positive and a negative factor in someone’s life.

What Is Peer Pressure?

Peer pressure is a process in which one or more members of a social group try to influence another one to do something they wouldn’t otherwise want to do. People often think of it in terms of behaviors that are considered undesirable or socially unacceptable such as experimenting with drugs or drinking underage.

While it’s true that many of the people who wind up in medical detox got their start down the road to drug use due to peer pressure, this phenomenon can also help people make good life choices. In this case, it’s usually referred to as positive peer pressure.

Positive vs. Negative Peer Pressure

Almost everyone has heard at least a few cautionary tales about the potential consequences of negative peer pressure, but fewer people are aware that it can also have beneficial effects. Sometimes, people’s peers influence them to engage in productive behavior instead of harmful activities. This is often the case when people intentionally seek out communities of people who are actively trying to better themselves.

Direct vs. Indirect Peer Pressure

Positive and negative peer pressure can both be applied directly or indirectly. Direct peer pressure involves the use of verbal and nonverbal cues to persuade a person to engage in a behavior. Good examples of how this could be either positive or negative include handing a friend with an alcohol use disorder a drink vs. taking one from them if they are considering succumbing to temptation.

Indirect peer pressure is a little harder to identify because no one is singling the affected person out. Instead, the general environment influences them to do something or avoid it. Going to a party where everyone is using drugs can create an environment conducive to engaging in this illicit activity without anyone actively pushing them on another person, for example. Attending an inpatient rehab program where people are actively trying to better themselves and drugs and alcohol are completely prohibited, on the other hand, would be an example of positive indirect peer pressure.

Spoken vs. Unspoken Peer Pressure

Finally, peer pressure can be either spoken or unspoken. In the first form, it involves someone verbally telling or asking another person to engage in a behavior. Consider an example of someone telling a recovering alcoholic to have just one drink.

With unspoken peer pressure, no one uses verbal cues to influence behavior. Instead, the group sets a standard for how its members behave. People often feel pressured to engage in activities because “everyone else is doing it.” However, both spoken and unspoken peer pressure can also have positive effects.

The Importance of Community

Few people can avoid peer pressure entirely. Instead of setting this goal, people who want to better themselves should seek out communities that create a positive environment. After all, positive peer pressure can be every bit as beneficial as negative peer pressure is harmful.