Adolescents Case

Adolescents are changing physically, emotionally, and socially as they grow older. The Adolescent’s behavior is explained as peer pressure (Kaplan 1). Peer pressure is explained to build self-image, independence, and love and relationships, but not only necessarily those pressures there are many more for example decision making regarding sexual activity and drug and alcohol use is a big in today’s society(Kaplan 16). If teens are struggling through trying to reach a goal and don’t achieve it; it’s easier for advertisers to squeeze their way in to a adolescents life. Today industries are making millions of dollars off of the younger market. Since companies are having so many funds coming in they make it more appealing for the younger crowd to come in, and buy their products (Teenagers Themselves 70). There are many different aspects of peer pressure. It can involves sex, drugs, alcohol, love and relationships, money and jobs, education and pressure for good grades, future plans, prejudice, racism, and stereotypes, and much more (Levinson 3) But there are also many other pressures that other teens face weather it being emotionally or physically. In recent surveys teens say that the biggest pressures today in school are dealing with sex, drugs, and alcohol.(Seventeen 80) So many teens get away with these abuses.

It’s so easy for a teen to go to a convenient store and buy a pack of cigarettes, or to get high or drunk at a party. Why does this happen because consumers don’t care who they are selling their product to, as long as its selling who cares who buys, is their way of business (Teenagers themselves 9-10). Six out of every ten teens have either had sex or are pregnant with the age of seventeen (APA 1). Surveys ask why do you choose to participate in sexual activity, or why do you join in drinking and experimenting with drugs? 47% of teens say “everyone’s doing it or I just wanted to try it,” and 44% say “I won’t fit in if I don’t” and 9% were others with personal reasons. (Teenagers themselves 38) And parents ask “I don’t understand where did my child learn this from, is it my fault?” No it’s not your fault but there is a way for parents to sit and communicate with their teenager. Teens open up more and share more facts and situations they are going through with their parents when they have a good relationship with them (Conger 5). Programs on TV are totally attracting the adolescent crowd.

All you have to do is turn a TV on and see for themselves. Sex movies are all over television, it’s not even safe to let you r children watch TV because the content of these film are outrageous.(Rice 15) A teen can’t even go see a movie about teens in high school without involving some form of peer pressure in it. Or even look in a magazine without seeing some consumer trying to get buyers with their so called beauty supplies. If you had it the “sex appeal, “you were in, if you didn’t have it you were out. This topic is generally speaking about cliques (Rice 14). Beauty and Cosmetic industries have made billions of dollars by encouraging this emulation of agelessness (Rice 2). Also another peer pressure that advertisers use is fashion. Fashion is a big role in Adolescent’s lives. The styles today are eye grabbers and have become very expensive. Parents are faced with the teens wanting these new fashions. That’s another way company’s get money from teens. They advertise their clothes and basically are saying “Do you want to look hip or do you want to fit in, well buy are product then.” And the same answer comes out almost 90% of teens, “Everyone has them and there in style.”

Obtaining the right color, the right manufacturer’s label, the right “look” becomes. All-important in gaining peer approval (Kaplan 45). Lover magazines such as Teen People, Seventeen, YM (Young and Modern), Teen, ads are placed all over with hair products, clothes, shoes, and the biggest make-up. Not just the ads are what causing these kids to be under pressure, the articles in them too. For example of a cover of magazine “Take this quiz and see if he really likes you,” (Teen 57) or “What style are you,” (Teen People 38) or one that was unbelievable was “How far would you go.”(YM 44) This quiz gave advice to go out and have a good time, and advised the person to get in to a little trouble, it will give you a high and make you feel good about yourself. In no way or circumstance is drinking going to make you feel better, they failed to mention how you might feel the next day or how having unprotected sex can give a deadly diseases or make you pregnant (Seventeen 79) From personal experience I received a letter in the mail asking me to renew my subscription to a magazine, and the letter stated (Turn to example of letter Pg. 6 of report).

It is trying to buy off and persuade the readers to keep their magazine by saying if you get our magazine we will give you a free gift, or we will give a certain amount of percentage off. This is also known as “spooning the reader”(Rice 15). While peer pressure can influence young people to experiment with or abuse drugs and alcohol, so can peer pressure work in positive ways to prevent the use of these substances (Kaplan 52-53). Sometimes it is good if a teen have a close friend to talk about different struggles that they are facing. Young people often seek out for same gender and age friends giving them advice. They value and treasure true advise (Kaplan 53). Peer pressure is an important influence on young people’s attitudes and behaviors. Groups of similar young people offer independence from the family, acceptance, a sense of personal worth, and support in times of confusion, guides for appropriate conduct in a complex world, and social identity.

Many factors affect how peer influence feels and how the individual will respond to its force. At one time or another, most adolescent choose to go along with group expectations and requirements for having their needs met. In addition, peer influence enters many areas of adolescent lives, public and private. Peer pressure makes a large impact on important attitudes and behaviors that can encourage or deter adolescents’ maturity of judgment and action. And when teens want to be independent, they have manufactures telling them that if you have this product it will make you a better person. But now a days teens are growing up and realizing that all along it wasn’t an advertiser caring about what is buyers feel or think, they just want their product sold. Now magazines are starting to show teens not to fall for ad gimmicks (see example Pg. 7) Young people also want to be successful. They want to know how to act like an adult, and say and so the right things. They want independence and have life and events work out the way they want it to be. Yet, at the same time, teens know they lack the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and most of all confidence to make through the world.