Peer Pressure - Essay ExamplePeer pressure works by coercing the student into behaviors that he or she might not otherwise engage in, and the implicit message is that the student must engage in this behavior or else they might be shunned from the group. Bullying is associated with peer pressure. The bully takes courage from peers, and this increases the bullying. Moreover, the peers have an implicit agreement not to stop the bullying and not to intervene, and this, too, increases bullying. The students in these social groups engage in rituals, and the rituals might include kicking or punching the bullied victim, and the peer groups do not intervene in this, which also makes the bullying stronger. The peer groups also construct the difference in the victim, which is an important part of bullying. The implicit message to these students is that they cannot intervene, because, if they do, they might be shunned. This essay will examine the nature of bullying and the harm it can cause, and will also examine peer pressure and how it is associated with bullying.
