During the whole life, it’s very common to be part of MANY social groups, since temporary crowds, to friendships forever. The smaller the group is, the strongest will be. During adolescence this is more usual, because the people you meet here, it’s going to be for all your life. This is why it’s so important to care about with which kind of people you get along with, because in nowadays, exist something called groupthink and peer pressure.
The peer pressure affects your life when they force you to do things that you don’t really intend to do, but you do it to please them, and to gain their affection. But besides it is wrong that you let them have control above you (because no one can make your decisions nor control your actions) it is potentially dangerous, because it can make you get into drugs, illegal things, stealing, smoking, gangs, bullying or stuff like that.
But first, we need to define the kinds of groups. There are many types where you can be part of, but the principal are: primary groups that are the personal and small groups that will last long time. And the secondary groups that are weak relationships, impersonal and commonly of a big quantity of people. That kind of groups are usually the networking and career groups. People that you only get along for educational or working purposes, without an interest on having a personal known between them.
The principal reasons of the people to get into gangs and do whatever they told them to do, is the searching of acceptance. For adolescents the acceptance of the others is very important, because in that way they can feel good with themselves.
Yes, I know that sometimes for obtaining the acceptation of someone, one’s self can make many things without thinking in the consequences they can cause. But remember, someone that force you to act improperly, is not worrying about you, and don’t deserves you do that for them. That’s why the
best relationship you can search is the democratic one, where, when making a decision everyone is in the process to select the best option for everyone and not only for the benefit of one.
In 2012, according to Lisa Freeman, an anti-bully expert and motivational speaker, 41% of teenagers where to be mean to others.