Peers

1
Peers Peer Pressure Beyond the Popular
Perception

• Program Sharing Conference
• October 8, 2009
• U of M Extension Family Relations Educators
• Colleen Gengler, cgengler_at_umn.edu
• Kathleen Olson, kaolson_at_umn.edu

2
Today, we will . . .

• Examine research on peer pressure
• Examine common perceptions about peer pressure
• Learn about practical tools, strategies,
  resources to work with parents

3
Where do you work?

• Rural
• Suburban
• Urban

4
Which one describes your work?

• Parent educator
• Youth educator
• School staff
• Agency staff
• Health professional
• Other

5
Friends are everything to a teen!
6
Teens are not all the same in their
susceptibility to peer influence. - True

• What makes a difference
• Individual characteristics
• Gender age
• The situation

7
Peer pressure can be both positive and negative.
- True

• It is not a question of whether or not teens
  will experience peer pressure, but rather, what
  kind.
• - Steinberg Levine

8
Teens are heavily influenced by their friends,
even about things for which they already have
existing beliefs. - False

• If a teen already has strong opinions, they are
  likely to stick with those.
• If there is negative peer influence, parents need
  to look at why the teen chose those friends.
• Teens choose friends based on similar interests.

9
Teens are influenced far more by peers than by
parents on every issue. - False

• Teens are influenced by peers on current pop
  culture choices.
• Teens are influenced by parents on long-term
  issues.

10
Friends will typically have views opposing those
of the teens parents. - False

• Teens and parents may be closer than they think.
• General belief might be similar but the approach
  could differ.

11
Peer pressure for teens is very direct, in your
face. - False

• Peer pressure occurs in many forms.
• Its there if you want it, but nobody give you a
  hard time if you dont. Like, no one comes up and
  shoves a beer in your hand and says Here, drink
  it! Of course, if everybody else is drinking,
  you may feel a little weird just sipping a soda.
• (Brown, 1990)

12
Working with Parents

• How would parents you work with respond to these
  statements?
• Do parents blame their teens actions on peer
  pressure?
• Is there a gap between how parents might answer
  (knowledge) and how they will parent their teen
  (behavior)?
• How can we provide more information to parents?

13
Peer Pressure Risk-taking

• Peer influence doesnt operate independent of
  teens other experiences.
• Peer pressure doesnt fully explain behavior.
• Peer influence will vary with
• Specific risky behaviors
• Characteristics of the behavior
• Social setting
• Peers are only one factor among many in decisions
  about risky behaviors.
• (Dishion Owen, 2002 Maxwell, 2002)

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What can parents do?

• Keep the parent-teen relationship growing
• Share values, beliefs, standards
• Encourage independence decision making at home
• Talk with your teen about possible situations
• Know your teens friends

15
Extension Resources Teen Talk

• Take and Teach Lesson Topics
• Parents Teens Talking
• about Alcohol
• Peers, Peer Relationships,
• Peer Pressure
• Bullying A Big Problem
• with Big Consequences
• Teen Decision Making
• about Risky Behaviors
• Teen Talk fact sheets

16
Extension Resources

• Information Series
• Thriving with Your Teen
• The Growing Season
• Parenting for School Success
• Understanding Adolescent Risk-taking Research
  Update for Professionals - online short term
  professional development

17
Family Education Network

• Listserv focusing on
• strengthening families
• school-age
• K-12 parent education
• Connects 1,600
• professionals
• regionally statewide
• Learn about new resources, programs research
• FEN on Facebook

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Resources - Websites

• Parent Education Resources
• http//www.parenting.umn.edu
• Talk With Your kids
• http//talkingwithkids.org
• Shoulder to Shoulder Minnesota
• http//www.shouldertoshoulderminnesota.org