www.tc2.

ca 1 The Critical Thinking Consortium

Investigating
peer pressure
Objectives: Deepen awareness and understanding of the positive and negative aspects of peer pressure;
Appreciate the importance of resisting negative peer pressure;
Develop strategies to deal with negative peer pressure.
Use the following activities to selectively investigate the issue of peer pressure
Introduce peer pressure using one of the following options:
Option 1: Share each of the following situations with students and ask them to indicate with a
thumbs up or down which of these are examples of peer pressure:
Fans at a game encourage you to try harder.
School marks are published for everyone to see.
Radio ads urge you to get with it because all your friends are doing it.
Your best friend asks you several times during the day to skip out of school early.
Everyone on your sports team wears a school jacket.
No one you know goes to yoga.
After responding to all the examples, invite students to explain why they voted as they did. Help
students appreciate that all of these, to some extent, may be examples of peer pressure. Invite
students to defne peer pressure based on this discussion.
Option 2: Share the following scenario with students:
Charlotte is almost 3 years old. She is a shy, curious but not mischievous, toddler who
plays imaginatively by herself and loves books. Charlotte rarely behaves inappropriately
but recently coloured the kitchen table and the stairs with felt pens. Coincidentally, Char-
lottes new favourite book features a little girl named Bridget who uses colouring markers
to colour everything.
Pose the following question: Is Charlottes behaviour a result of
peer pressure? Invite students to defne peer pressure based on
this discussion.
Encourage students to expand or clarify their understanding of
who their peers are by using a copy of Who are your peers?
to record their thinking. Invite students to brainstorm, in
groups, a list of all the groups or categories of individuals
(not specifc names of people) who could be considered
their peers, Instruct them to place these people in the ap-
propriate circles on Who are your peers? and to discuss
the degree of infuence each level of peer is likely to
have upon them
This TC2-developed critical challenge was previously published as a Tools for Thought resource. Kindly consider a subscription to
Tools for Thought to access the tools referenced in this critical challenge.
Introduce the topic
Dene peer pressure
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The Critical Thinking Consortium
W
ho are your peers?
Review the list of peers that you brainstormed with your group. Organize the people and groups on the list in the
diagram below.
Discuss the level of in uence each group of peers is likely to have on you. Highlight or circle the peers that apply
the most pressure.
People who you are aware of or
may have seen but do not know
People you know but
do not see often
People closest to you
www.tc2.ca 2 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Finally, ask students to discuss ways each of heir peers might infuence their behaviour and thinking
and whether these infuences tend to be positive, negative, or both. Discuss with students whether
or not peers who are closest to you have the most infuence.
As an aside, ask students whether adults experience peer pressure. In what ways? Is this pressure
likely to be as signifcant for adults as it may be for young people? Why or why not?
Invite students to share the key points of their group discussion with the whole class. Record stu-
dent ideas on the board under the following headings: peers, examples of negative peer pressure,
and examples of positive peer pressure.
Examine the students original defnition of peer pressure and discuss whether or not the defni-
tion fts with students discussions. Compare the students defnition with the following defnition
of peer pressure from dictionary.com: social pressure by members of ones peer group to take a
certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted.
Invite students to discuss the following questions:
What is the difference between peer pressure and peer infuence (showing by example, encour-
aging)?
What is the difference between peer pressure (an effort to get you to do something) and bully-
ing (repeated, mean spirited, intended to punish or hurt)?
Invite students, based on their experiences, to discuss where peer pressure exists and how peer
pressure is communicated. Introduce the difference between direct and indirect communication
(direct is obvious and specifc to you; indirect is not specifcally directed to you).
Provide each pair of students with a copy of Peer pressure
scenarios. Invite them to determine whether each scenario
illustrates positive or negative peer pressure. On the bottom
of the page, have students identify where each scenario
falls on the line between direct and indirect peer pressure.
Review the scenarios and student decisions as a class.
Discuss the source of peer pressure in each scenario.
Point out that recognizing where peer pressure comes
from can often help us resist negative peer pressure.
Invite students to consider the sources of peer pres-
sure in their own lives by creating a private list of
people and putting them in four categories:
true friends who really care about them;
acquaintances (people they see but do not spend time
with);
wannabe friends (people who they think they would like to be friends with);
not friends (people who may infuence them but they do not know).
Ask students to consider the number of people that fall into each group. Discuss with students
where negative peer pressure most often comes from and what form it usually takes.
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The Critical Thinking Consortium
Peer pressure scenarios
Label each scenario as being either positive peer pressure or negative peer pressure.
Place each scenario on the scale below, indicating whether the peer pressure is direct or indirect.
#1 Lifting lipstick
Now! whispered Suki. Quick while the clerks
not looking. Heart pounding, Leah leaned against
the stores makeup display and slid two tubes of
lipstick into her purse. She looked bored and de-
tached as she followed her friends out of the store,
but inside she felt panic.
I cant believe you made me do that, Leah
wailed.
Relax, said Jill, everybody does it sometime.
And we didnt make you do it.
Leah said nothing but she knew she wouldnt have
done that on her own. #3 Skipping class
Come on, everyone is skipping class. Who wants
to take that quiz? Were going to the beach. Lets
go! says the coolest kid in the class. What will
Lucie do?
#5 Change your mind
Jeffs parents are away for the weekend. Sean,
Jeffs popular classmate, hears about this and
suggests to Jeff that he have a party. Sean says he
will invite all his friends. Jeff thinks this might be
a way to get to know some cool people. Adam,
Jeffs best friend, tells him a party would be a re-
ally bad idea but knows Jeff wants to save face,
so he suggests Jeff tell Sean that his parents came
back unexpectedly.
#7 Little sister Bens younger sister is obsessed with Hannah
Montana. She has Hannah Montana books, brace-
lets, bedding, pajamas, and CDs. Now she wants
a Hannah Montana red jacket costume for the rst
day of school. She is dramatically insisting her life
will be over if she does not have this out t.
#2 Facebook pressure
Facebook Group page entitled: Dylan should have
a Facebook account ... people can join the group
and acknowledge their support for Dylan getting
a Facebook page.
Dylan does not want a Facebook page but hears
about the group and knows a lot of people are
joining.
#4 Math mistakes
Susan just moved to a new school and wants to
make friends quickly. She does not want to be seen
as the smart kid so deliberately makes mistakes
on her math test to ensure the teacher will not
single her out for praise.
#6 Ginger Day In response to an episode of the satirical cartoon
Southpark, a teenager started a Facebook group
declaring November 20th Kick a Ginger Day.
Hundreds of students across the country joined this
group and on November 20th, kicked students with
red hair. Students who participated were suspended
and the RCMP contemplated charging the student
who started the Facebook group with hate crimes.
#8 Inspired Naija loves music and is studying classical guitar.
Her dream was to become a professional musician.
However, she also wanted to spend time with her
friends and she didnt want to be a music geek. She
was thinking that she would give up music. Then,
she saw a television program about a 14-year-old
boy who is a musical genius. He practiced three
hours a day. He seemed like a great person and
not geeky at all. Naija is rethinking her decision to
quit because she thinks if he can do it, so can she.
indirect
direct
peeer pressure
peer pressure
Understanding
peer pressure
www.tc2.ca 3 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Explore peer pressure further using some or all
of the following critical challenges
Critical challenge #1
How much does peer pressure infuence your decision making?
Pose the question: How much does peer pressure infuence you? Ask students to choose one of
the following responses: a little, a lot, or not very much.
Invite students to think about decisions they have
made recently. Brainstorm possible types of deci-
sions with students (e.g., decisions about fashion,
food, leisure time, recreation, sports, social
behaviour, friends, communication, joining
clubs). Provide students with a copy of Factors
affecting recent decisions. Instruct students to
record four decisions they made recently and
their reasons for that decision.
Introduce the strategy found in Independent mindedness (part
of the Tools for Thought collection). Invite students to rate
the level of independent mindedness they exercised in mak-
ing their decisions using Rating independent mindedness.
Invite students to compare their ranking with their initial
response to the question how much does peer pressure
infuence you?
Critical challenge #2
Rank order electronic messages according to the amount of peer pressure implied.
Pose the question: Where do you fnd negative peer pressure? Encourage students to think be-
yond everywhere and suggest specifc venues where peer pressure is evident. Suggestions may
include television, movies, the internet, magazines, school, clubs, and sports teams.
Invite students to think about peer pressure in the context of email messages and other electronic
communication. Remind students that peer pressure can be direct or indirect.
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.tc2.ca
8

Th
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Factors affecting recent decisions
Identify four decisions or choices you have made recently. For each decision, identify and classify the main factors that in uenced your decision.

Decision
Peer pressure
Peer in uence
Other reasons
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9
The Critical Thinking Consortium
Name: ______________________________________________ Rating independent mindedness
Character ________________________________________________
Attribute of independent
Evidence

mindedness
1. Individuals who are
independent minded are
inclined to decide for
themselves what to believe
and do rather than simply
accept things because
others say they should.
2. Being independent minded
doesnt necessarily mean
that your opinions are
always different from
others and that you never
consult with other people; it
means simply that you hold
opinions because they make
sense to you. 3. Individuals who are
independent minded arent
afraid of having a different
opinion but dont simply
pick an opposing view just
to be different. 4. Individuals who are
independent minded are
typically willing to stand
up publicly for what they
believe.
Overall assessment The individual is very independent minded

somewhat independent minded

not at all independent minded
Reasons
Suggestions for improvement

www.tc2.ca 4 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Introduce the strategy found in Interpreting electronic mes-
sages (part of the Tools for Thought collection). Provide
students with the examples of electronic messages found on
Electronic messages. Ask students to add two additional
examples of electronic messages. Alternatively, ask stu-
dents to create electronic messages or review electronic
messages they have recently sent or received. Provide
students with a copy of Understanding the implied
message.
Instruct students to interpret the implied message
in each of the electronic messages and rank order
them according to the amount of peer pressure the
implied message contain.
Critical challenge #3
Create and role play an active listening response in a negative peer pressure situation.
Discuss with students some of the dilemmas created by peer pressure. If necessary, refer to Peer
pressure scenarios and discuss the dilemma (diffcult choice) some characters in the scenarios
might face. Point out that sometimes talking to someone, either in person or by some other form of
communication, when you are facing peer pressure, can help. Suggest that how a person responds
to another person can help solve their dilemna
Introduce the strategy found in Active listening (part of the Tools for Thought collection). Invite
students to revisit the scenarios presented in Peer pressure scenarios and identify which character
might be facing a dilemma. Encourage students to brainstorm, in partners, the characters feel-
ings and words they might use to explain their situation to a friend. Invite students to role play
a scenario depicting a friend discussing a dilemma with another friend who is listening actively.
Invite students to discuss the role active listening might play in responding to peer pressure. When
faced with negative peer pressure, would it make a difference to respond using the active listening
strategy? Consider the following example:
Youve gotta be there. Everyone will think youre a loser if you stay home. Tell your parents you
are coming to my house to study. Theyll never know.
So you want me to lie to my parents, risking them never trusting me again, and if I dont do this,
I wont have any friends?
If students think this is a useful tool in responding to negative peer pressure, invite them to create
peer pressure scenarios and role play active listening response.
www.tc2.ca
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The Critical Thinking Consortium
Electronic messages
Check out this fashion spread Where can I buy
those cuuute shirts?
Hey pat. All of us are going to shave our heads for
the cancer fundraiser next week. The more people
who do this, the more powerful the message will
be ... were counting on you!
Create an example
hey chris, amazing party last saturday ... we
REALLY missed you ... dont be such a hermit
next time. Next week, same time, same place.
YOUD BETTER BE THERE!! Skip work not
a big deal
c U after schl !! :- (
Create an example
www.tc2.ca
11
The Critical Thinking Consortium
Name: ____________________________________________________________________ Understanding the implied message

Text message:
Text message:
Techniques used by the writer

Meaning portrayed by the
technique

Possible
Interpretation #1
Interpretation #1
messages

Interpretation #2
Interpretation #2

Interpretation #3
Interpretation #3
www.tc2.ca 5 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Critical challenge #4
Create a respectful peer-pressure communication situation that will have a positive
impact on your school or community.
Invite students to think of recent examples of positive peer pressure, such as pink shirt day,
where students used peer pressure to discourage bullying after a youth was teased for wearing
a pink shirt to school (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/09/18/pink-tshirts-students.html).
Brainstorm with students, possible situations in their school or community where they might
make a positive difference by using positive peer pressure.
Introduce the strategy found in Creating a tone in writing (part
of the Tools for Thought collection). Invite students to choose
a situation where they could create positive peer pressure
to make a difference. Encourage students to use Planning
your message to plan their positive peer pressure message.
Critical challenge #5
What are the two most important qualities a person needs to
deal with negative peer pressure?
Brainstorm ways to deal with direct and indirect negative peer pressure. Pose the question: What
are the two most important qualities a person needs to deal with negative peer pressure? Invite
students to research the topic of peer pressure and how to deal with peer pressure.
Introduce the strategy found in Paraphrasing research (part
of the Tools for Thought collection). Encourage students
to use Paraphrasing information to record their research.
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12
The Critical Thinking Consortium
Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Planning your message
Type of message: email text message note letter
Audience:
Characteristics:

Tone
Writing techniques
Purpose:
Desired feelings:
Level of formality:

Message:
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13
The Critical Thinking Consortium
Paraphrasing information
Topic: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Use of information: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Source: author : _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

title: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

place of publication: ____________________________________________ publisher: ___________________________________________________

publication date: __________________________________________________ page numbers: ___________________________________________

Key information from source
My own words
Who?


What?
Where?
When?
Why?


Other
important details
Paraphrase:
Criteria for an appropriate paraphrase:
keeps the original meaning;
uses different words and sentence structure;
cites the original work.
www.tc2.ca 6 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Who are your peers?
Review the list of peers that you brainstormed with your group. Organize the people and groups on the list in the
diagram below.
Discuss the level of infuence each group of peers is likely to have on you. Highlight or circle the peers that apply
the most pressure.
People who you are aware of or
may have seen but do not know
People you know but
do not see often
People closest to you
www.tc2.ca 7 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Peer pressure scenarios
Label each scenario as being either positive peer pressure or negative peer pressure.
Place each scenario on the scale below, indicating whether the peer pressure is direct or indirect.
#1 Lifting lipstick
Now! whispered Suki. Quick while the clerks
not looking. Heart pounding, Leah leaned against
the stores makeup display and slid two tubes of
lipstick into her purse. She looked bored and de-
tached as she followed her friends out of the store,
but inside she felt panic.
I cant believe you made me do that, Leah
wailed.
Relax, said Jill, everybody does it sometime.
And we didnt make you do it.
Leah said nothing but she knew she wouldnt have
done that on her own.
#3 Skipping class
Come on, everyone is skipping class. Who wants
to take that quiz? Were going to the beach. Lets
go! says the coolest kid in the class. What will
Lucie do?
#5 Change your mind
Jeffs parents are away for the weekend. Sean,
Jeffs popular classmate, hears about this and
suggests to Jeff that he have a party. Sean says he
will invite all his friends. Jeff thinks this might be
a way to get to know some cool people. Adam,
Jeffs best friend, tells him a party would be a re-
ally bad idea but knows Jeff wants to save face,
so he suggests Jeff tell Sean that his parents came
back unexpectedly.
#7 Little sister
Bens younger sister is obsessed with Hannah
Montana. She has Hannah Montana books, brace-
lets, bedding, pajamas, and CDs. Now she wants
a Hannah Montana red jacket costume for the frst
day of school. She is dramatically insisting her life
will be over if she does not have this outft.
#2 Facebook pressure
Facebook Group page entitled: Dylan should have
a Facebook account ... people can join the group
and acknowledge their support for Dylan getting
a Facebook page.
Dylan does not want a Facebook page but hears
about the group and knows a lot of people are
joining.
#4 Math mistakes
Susan just moved to a new school and wants to
make friends quickly. She does not want to be seen
as the smart kid so deliberately makes mistakes
on her math test to ensure the teacher will not
single her out for praise.
#6 Ginger Day
In response to an episode of the satirical cartoon
Southpark, a teenager started a Facebook group
declaring November 20th Kick a Ginger Day.
Hundreds of students across the country joined this
group and on November 20th, kicked students with
red hair. Students who participated were suspended
and the RCMP contemplated charging the student
who started the Facebook group with hate crimes.
#8 Inspired
Naija loves music and is studying classical guitar.
Her dream was to become a professional musician.
However, she also wanted to spend time with her
friends and she didnt want to be a music geek. She
was thinking that she would give up music. Then,
she saw a television program about a 14-year-old
boy who is a musical genius. He practiced three
hours a day. He seemed like a great person and
not geeky at all. Naija is rethinking her decision to
quit because she thinks if he can do it, so can she.
indirect direct
peeer pressure peer pressure
www.tc2.ca 8 The Critical Thinking Consortium
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www.tc2.ca 9 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Name: ______________________________________________
Rating independent mindedness
Character ________________________________________________
Attribute of independent Evidence
mindedness
1. Individuals who are
independent minded are
inclined to decide for
themselves what to believe
and do rather than simply
accept things because
others say they should.
2. Being independent minded
doesnt necessarily mean
that your opinions are
always different from
others and that you never
consult with other people; it
means simply that you hold
opinions because they make
sense to you.
3. Individuals who are
independent minded arent
afraid of having a different
opinion but dont simply
pick an opposing view just
to be different.
4. Individuals who are
independent minded are
typically willing to stand
up publicly for what they
believe.
Overall assessment
The individual is o very independent minded
o somewhat independent minded
o not at all independent minded
Reasons
Suggestions for improvement

www.tc2.ca 10 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Electronic messages
Check out this fashion spread Where can I buy
those cuuute shirts?
Hey pat. All of us are going to shave our heads for
the cancer fundraiser next week. The more people
who do this, the more powerful the message will
be ... were counting on you!
Create an example
hey chris, amazing party last saturday ... we
REALLY missed you ... dont be such a hermit
next time. Next week, same time, same place.
YOUD BETTER BE THERE!! Skip work not
a big deal
c U after schl !! :- (
Create an example
www.tc2.ca 11 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Understanding the implied message
Text message: Text message:
Techniques
used by the
writer

Meaning
portrayed
by the
technique

Possible Interpretation #1 Interpretation #1
messages
Interpretation #2 Interpretation #2
Interpretation #3 Interpretation #3
www.tc2.ca 12 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Planning your message
Type of message: o email o text message o note o letter
Audience:
Characteristics:
Tone Writing techniques
Purpose:
Desired feelings:
Level of formality:

Message:
www.tc2.ca 13 The Critical Thinking Consortium
Paraphrasing information
Topic: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Use of information: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Source: author : _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
title: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
place of publication: ____________________________________________ publisher: ___________________________________________________
publication date: __________________________________________________ page numbers: ___________________________________________
Key information from source My own words
Who?

What?
Where?
When?
Why?


Other
important
details
Paraphrase:
Criteria for an appropriate paraphrase:
keeps the original meaning;
uses different words and sentence structure;
cites the original work.