Question: How does peer pressure affect behaviors?

Alex Baxendale answered on 18 Nov 2021:

Peer pressure comes from people wanting to fit in with those around them that they identify (or want to identify) with. So when we witness other peoples behaviors we feel compelled to mimic those behaviors to show that we belong in that group with them, as a way to identify with them. Peer pressure is usually seen as being bad, where people start smoking, drinking, drugs, or doing crime because of the people they hang out with, but there is a lot of evidence to suggest that peer pressure can also be good. People who might be tempted to break a rule can feel pressured to not break those rules because their friends don’t want to, we can see students try harder in school so that they can match their friends grades. So peer pressure can affect behavior both for the better or worse, it depends on the individual, and the group they are trying to relate with