Peer pressure can affect anybody but it is particularly common among college-going teens. While peer pressure can come in various forms, all of them can cause a tremendous influence on the behaviour of a young person.

This is because college days are when the person makes new friendships and identity among friends. It is literally the stage in life when an individual lets go of his or her anonymity they treasured throughout their schooling years.

College students are also likely to start experimenting with new things like alcohol, drugs and sex. The drive to try new and risky things also comes from peer pressure.

It can be a powerful force but awareness about the types of peer pressures can help students and parents manage it successfully. Here, we discuss the top ten types of peer pressure one can expect to come across in college life.

1. Spoken Peer Pressure

Here, the peer influences the teen verbally to behave the way he/she does. Spoken peer pressure involves asking, suggesting or convincing the other person to behave in a specific way or engage in a particular activity. When this is done one-to-one, the person has a stronger chance of sticking to his/her moral and conduct.

But when the spoken peer pressure occurs in a group, the pressure is quite immense. When somebody says something, the person who is moving with his own way of life starts believing that the other way is more attractive. The force to listen and follow the peers comes from getting accepted in the group.

2. Unspoken Peer Pressure

Teenagers can get influenced by others without any verbal conversation taking place. In this case, the person sees the behaviour and actions of somebody else and decides if he wants to do the same.

This can be anything, lifestyle, fashion, habits or behaviours. If you watch the peer living a lifestyle on a regular basis, you get influenced and start thinking that he/she has a better life and there is nothing wrong in following what he/she is doing.

Young minds lack the maturity to control such pressures. Teens are often seen trying drugs and cigarettes because all his friends do it. Unspoken peer influence is often the most common, and can be prevented by mentoring and sensitization.

3. Direct Peer Pressure

A direct peer pressure is friends asking others to do something. As it is direct, it is a powerful form of peer pressure and is quite difficult to resist. It can be either spoken or unspoken and is generally behaviour-centric.

Examples of this type of pressure include a student handing an alcoholic drink to another or making a sexual advance. The other person is compelled to make an instantaneous decision. As a college student, you might be afraid of losing the friend if you don’t do what is asked to do.

4. Indirect Peer Pressure

This type of peer pressure is like the unspoken variety which is not so strong but can often exert a powerful impact on young people like college students. This type of pressure comes when somebody sees or hears others doing or saying something. For example, when you overhear a friend talking about somebody else and you react, it is indirect peer pressure. Another example is when a teen learns that a popular party has drugs and alcohol.

Such a peer pressure can encourage the person to try these things to get accepted in the community. In this type of pressure, nobody asks anybody to do something directly but it is the indirect pressure that comes.

5. Positive Peer Pressure

A good type of peer pressure, it is when friends motivate each other to excel and do great things. An influence is positive if the behaviour is healthy, socially acceptable and age-appropriate. You can feel empowered by your friends because of the positivity you see in them.

Peer pressures can sometimes inculcate good things like new hobbies, sport spirit, determination to succeed and health conscience. This type of peer pressure also occurs with people who start incorporating the qualities seen in others who they have never met face to face. An example of positive peer pressure is a peer group getting good grades and influencing others to study.

6. Negative Peer Pressure

Minds of teenagers are like soft clay that easily takes the shape of the most influential personality around. Such an impression is often negative. Negative peer pressure occurs when college friends influence each other negatively. Asking another person to engage in an activity or behaviour that is against the family values or moral code is a negative type of peer pressure.

Teens are often seen taking note of the actions of other students with attractive personalities and urged to follow them. Examples of this type of pressure include trying to convince others to take alcohol, cigarette, drugs or sex.

It is very common for college students to start getting indulged in behaviours that go against their code. Young people are often not able to resist negative peer pressure and they are guided by the desire to be accepted.

7. Adult Peer Pressure

Though common among working professionals, adult peer pressure can be seen in college students who are influenced by seniors. Students are seen turning to smoking and drinking after their peers say they are great at relieving stress.

You might even get influenced by professors and other adults in the college. Such an influence is dangerous because it can distract the student from his life goals and career focus.

8. Neutral Peer Pressure

A neutral peer pressure is the one that occurs naturally and involves following the crowd without harming yourself or others.

As it happens naturally, nobody ever recognizes it. This type of peer pressure is common among college students and is often not a problem. An example of a neutral peer pressure is a party invitation from a friend. Some of your friends may go while others may not. The decision you make on the basis of influence does not harm you.

9. Internal Peer Pressure

This type of peer pressure often comes from within and is overlooked. However, the pressure a person puts on oneself can lead to anxiety and depression in some cases. Knowingly or unknowingly, you put pressure on yourself to be more smart and successful, achieve more and overcome challenges.

You compare yourself with others and pressure yourself to be accepted, admired or loved. Focusing on what others think or say leads to internal peer pressure and this can keep you stressed all the time, setting unrealistic expectations and always desiring more.

10. External Peer Pressure

An external peer pressure comes from people the teen interacts with on a daily basis. This may be at the college or anywhere else.

The people you meet create some sort of influence on your mind. It can be the way they dress or the way they look. It can be the activities they indulge in or the way they behave. This type of pressure can take numerous forms and can be positive or negative.

On To Our Readers

The college years are known to have a significant impact on individuals, not just on professional careers, but in building lasting characters, personalities and relationships.

Having the right kind of environment and competitive peer pressure can motivate individuals to aim high and work towards it, but the same pressure can compel them towards despair and hopelessness.

Given the significance of peer pressure on student life, it’s essential that parents, teachers & counselors supervise the culture and lifestyle that’s in academic hubs to ensure they’re conducive to development and don’t have adverse effects on their lives.