Positive Peer Pressure and Behavioral Support
Peer influence can be observed from a very young age to adults as well. With the difference in age group, the influences also seems to differ and individual differences of also affects how and which individual will be more susceptible to good or bad peer pressure. However, peer influence at adolescent period is optimum. The reason for this can be varied, it can be because, at that age adolescents are at a school set up most of the time surrounded by peers, need for acceptance, as they are growing and maturing. Classmates as peers can serve as a powerful source of reinforcement in increasing or maintaining both the positive and negative behaviors of their classmates. Becoming a member of a peer group is one of the immediate effects of adolescence. Peer groups influence adolescent society and identity by allowing young people to explore individual interests and uncertainties while retaining a sense of belonging and rank within a group of friends.Jean Piaget (1932) in his earliest writings, portrayed children's relationships with peers as being relatively balanced and egalitarian. Within this egalitarian context Piaget believed children could have experiences to examine different ideas, to negotiate and discuss multiple opinions, and to decide to compromise with or to reject the opinions held by peers. From such interactions, Piaget argued that children come to develop the capacity for sensitive perspective taking or the ability to understand the thoughts, feelings and viewpoints of others was thought to lay the foundation for socially competent behavior and meaningful social relationships. Jean Piaget (1958) added a cognitive perspective on how friendships promoted young people's capacity for social perspective taking. Researchers conducted on peers have revealed ambivalent results as to peer pressure in adolescents are positive or negative. Peer influences exist in groups as well as dyadic relationships. Apart from this, the groups that individuals form can be both social and in institutional environments. One important factor about institutional groups is that, the group will have a positive impact on its members pertaining to academics as well. The peer influence in an institutional environment can be dyadic mostly. Adolescents have 'best friends' and this one best friend can heavily influence one another. The best friend's advice at this stage is at times more important than parent's advice, and therefore, has the supreme power to influence the other.Positive peer pressure is an encouragement by peers to do something good. It may consist of joining an athletic team, helping out someone, influence of better grades, convincing someone to stop smoking, drinking, or doing drugs. Students who influence other students bring out positive peer pressure. This may work better than parental involvement because students listen to what their friends say during adolescents. Peer pressure can work both ways but the trick is to find out which pressures are healthyDifferent psychological factors like self esteem, confidence plays a defining role in which members will influence whom. It is not restrained to groups but it is also applicable to dyadic relationships too. The one who is confident, have leadership skills will tend to influence the ones will low self esteem. We as social beings have the need for acceptance and this need for acceptance can be fulfilled by peers, especially for adolescents. Friends are a great source of support givers for adolescents. As adolescents grow physically and psychologically, they learn new things every day, some of them may not be able to share their experiences with adults and therefore their peers are the best people that they can confide on. Thus a natural inclination for their peers is formed.Some of the techniques that can be usedfor behavioral support are: Peer influence can be used as a reinforcement in various set ups. For academic improvement, in a school set up, pairing up can be done of a high achiever and academically poor students.