PEER PRESSURE FOR TEENS PAVES THE WAY TO ADULTHOOD

By: Shirley S. Wang

Published: The Wall Street Journal; June 17, 2013; www.wsj.com Alternatively just google the title and writer’s name

Level of Difficulty:**

Note to the student: Examples of both writing activities are posted in the file marked “Sample Essays”

BEFORE YOU READ

·         What kind of a person is your typical teenager?

·         What is his relationship with his parents like?

·         What about his friends?

·         Who has greater influence? Why?

NOW CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING

Peer pressure http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/peer_pressure_video.html

The Role of Peer Groups in a Teen's Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7298936ms5I

Peer pressure – adolescent issues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6K0F0gLcX0

QUESTIONS

1. What standard misconception concerning teenagers does the writer point out?

2.       There is a ………………….correlation between age and the ability to with stand peer pressure.

3.       What ultimate advantage does coping with peer pressure provide for the individual?

4.       What underlying cause of susceptibility to peer pressure decreases with age?

5.       The increase in peer influence in the early teens is due to the fact that………………………………

6.       ………………………………………hampers decision making in teenagers.

7.       What does “This” refer to in the phrase “This heightened rush of neurotransmitters”?

8.       What is the consequence of the fact that the youthful brain is still completing its development?

9.       Which of the characteristics listed below help the teenager to better resist peer pressure? Select as many as you need.

·         Being outgoing

·         Finding it easy to talk to people

·         Having parents with a criminal background

·         Having parents with alcohol or gambling problems

·         Being liked by one’s friends

·         Being self confident

10.   Why do less confident kids seem to acquire bad habits like drinking in groups?

11.   What conclusion can be drawn from Dr. Prinstein’s study?

12.   What tentative conclusion did Dr. Prinstein reach concerning race?

13.   What role do clothes play in peer groups?

14.   What is the disadvantage og excessively authoritarian parenting?

15.   Starting to keep an eye on a child’s friends quite early on is an advantage because………………

16.   Lorenzo C. Kavoliunas owes his current status to the fact that…………………………………………………

THE FIRST WRITING TASK

Summarize the text as concisely as possible. You will find an example under Sample Essays.

THE SECOND WRITING TASK

Write an essay discussing the advantages of peer pressure. Make notes as you read, seek out a related video, listen and take notes. Then write your essay. You will find an example under Sample Essays.

PEER PRESSURE FOR TEEN PAVES THE WAY TO ADULTHOOD KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

It is always a joy to find a simple yet interesting text which lends itself to both good questions and writing activities. Enjoy.

1.       That teens follow each other because they are less capable of making rational decisions

2.       Negative

3.       Self reliance

4.       They get greater pleasures from behaviors they experience as rewarding; they tend to find being liked by other people very gratifying

5.       During puberty people experience an increase in novelty seeking; OR they start exploring outside the home and making their own peer circles.

6.       Being emotionally worked up

7.       The increased activation in the reward centers in the brain during adolescence; OR the fact that the reward centers in the brain get more activated in adolescence.

8.       The ability to make decisions when emotional isn’t at full strength

9.       1, 2, 5 and 6. High communication skills come with confidence and being outgoing

10.   Because risky bad behaviors like drinking tend to be associated with being popular

11.   When the supposed peers are popular, highly socially anxious kids indiscriminately conform but low anxiety kids are more choosy. OR  the kids most likely to be influenced are the least popular

12.   Non whites are not as influenced by peers or people outside their ethnic group

13.   They resemble each other

14.   The child is going to be more susceptible to others saying “Do this”

15.   Once a child reaches adolescence, friends may wield more influence than authority figures

16.   His confidence grew when he made good friends and started excelling at sports