Information AboutPeer Pressure |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT PEER PRESSURE | |
| group processes | |
| social psychology | |
| youth | |
| crowd psychology | |
| SHOPPER'S DELIGHT | |
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Peer pressure comprises a set of Group Dynamics whereby a group of people in which one feels comfortable may override the personal habits, individual Moral inhibitions or idiosyncratic desires to impose a group norm of Attitude s or Behavior s. It requires members to conform to the overall value of the group. These `reference groups' are sometimes referred to as `membership groups', when the individual is 'formally ' a member (of, for example, a political party or trade union). Individuals may also have `aspiration groups' (social cliques, say, such as yuppies) to which they would like to belong. They may also recognize `dissociative groups' with which they would 'not ' wish to associate (thus drinkers may go to great lengths to avoid being associated with `lager louts'). This `peer pressure' can sometimes be used to great effect by marketers. If they can sway the few `opinion leaders' in the reference group they will capture the whole group. Peer pressure is often looked at in a bad way - marketing uses and mare serious matters like smoking, drinking etc. But schools are teaching children in PSHE lessons about how to stop being led into negative peer pressure situations. This will help children in later stages in teenage life when peer pressure is greatest. |