Peer Pressure Basics
What is peer pressure?
Influence from people your age or social group that encourages you to think, feel, or act a certain way.
Name one example of positive peer influence at RJC.
Encouraging someone to join group, finish an assignment, calm down, or seek help.
What is one respectful way to say no to peer pressure?
Why might someone follow a group even when they disagree?
They may want to belong, avoid teasing, or feel unsure about speaking up.
Name one person at RJC who can help if you feel pressured by peers.
Can peer influence be positive as well as negative?
Give one example of indirect peer pressure.
Give a refusal that includes both “no” and an alternative.
“No, I am not joining in. We can do something else.”
What is a bystander?
Someone who sees or knows about an event but is not the main person involved.
Name one longer-term benefit of making decisions based on your goals rather than peer approval.
Greater trust, progress toward goals, stronger boundaries, or fewer avoidable problems.
What is the difference between direct and indirect peer pressure?
Give one example of each.
Someone dares you to break a rule and says, “Bet you will not.”
What type of pressure is being used, and why can recognizing it help?
A peer asks you to mock another youth.
Give a clear refusal and explain why it is better than laughing along.
One youth begins arguing and others encourage them to keep going.
How are the others influencing the conflict, and what could they do instead?
A youth wants to fit in but is asked to join behavior they believe is wrong.
What choice could they make, and how might it help them reach a personal goal?
A group says, “Everyone breaks this rule, so don’t be the only one who follows it.”
Identify the pressure, give a respectful refusal, and explain how it protects your choices.
Several peers laugh when someone makes a cruel joke about another youth.
How can their laughter influence the group, and what are two safer choices?
A peer keeps pushing after you say no.
Describe three safe steps to maintain your boundary and explain why you do not have to keep debating.
A popular group member makes disrespectful comments and others laugh.
What could one youth do without becoming a target or making the situation worse? Explain the group effect.
Peers want you to share another youth’s private information (that you know on the outs) for a laugh.
Identify the pressure, give a response, and explain possible effects of sharing versus protecting privacy.
A friend says, “If you were really my friend, you would cover for me.”
What kind of pressure is this? Set a boundary, identify a safer action, and explain why caring about a friend does not require covering up rule violations.
A peer offers to include you in their group only if you break a rule.
Identify two pressure tactics, one risk of agreeing, and two respectful responses.
Several peers want you to hide a vape in your cell and say you will look weak if you refuse.
Give a three-step response, identify the unhelpful thought being challenged, and explain how your plan reduces risk.
A peer breaks a rule, then asks you to back up a false story.
How can you support the peer without joining the behavior? Name two boundaries, a safe action, and one possible group benefit.
A group says they won’t vote for your Beta rec up unless you agree to fight another peer in the pod.
You want friends but also want to meet your goals. Describe how you might feel, what you could think and say, two actions you could take, and why the plan is safer.