Peer pressure Effect

Introduction 

          As the children enter the transition to the teen years, the peer pressure starts to develop and play a significant impact on their lives. They start figuring out their individuality, whom they want to be with and gain independence from their parent by observing what other peers do. Peer pressure is one of the important factors that shapes the lives of the teenagers either positively or negatively. In most instances, peer pressure is blamed as one of the most contributing factors towards bad behaviors among teens. However, the peer pleasure is significantly influencing the behaviors of the teenagers and the young adults in the business world. This paper elaborates on the peer pleasure effect and its impact on the business communication world. 

What is peer pleasure effect? 

         Teens' interests, family backgrounds, fashion quickly connect them to a subgroup of peers who influences meaning and continuity of life within the neighborhood or school context. This portrays that the peers they associate with significantly influence the teens' lives. According to Lochman, Wells, and Lisa, "peers try to encourage you to engage in behaviors in which you are not sure you want to engage" (229). In this case, people's behaviors can be manipulated through the peer pressure. In the contemporary world, many organization are using the peers to sell their products improve their performance and increase profitability among other commercial benefits of a firm. This phenomenon is recognized as the "peer pressure effect." 

          The role and relevance of the "peer pressure effect" into the business communication world are to influence the individuals' roles in the firm's success through peers. Most people tend to copy the behaviors of the people they live with especially the peers. Others try to fit in and engage in particular activities because other people are doing them. Therefore, this effect can be used to influence the peers' consumption behaviors and the workers motivation in the work environment to enhance the performance of the organization. 

Pros and cons of "peer pleasure effect."

Pros 

          The "peer pressure effect" play vital roles in the business communication world.  First, this effect helps to influence the purchasing pattern among teens and young adults positively. Many adolescents perceive buying or consuming products as a way to achieve status with peers. For instance, according to a study conducted by Sun and Guo, peer pressure influences individuals into passive and active involvement in fashion (134). The study found that the peer influence has a positive and significant predictor of fashion involvement. This indicates that peer pressure has a meaningful and positive influence on the purchasing patterns among teens.

          Another advantage of the "peer pressure effect" is that it improves the employees' productivity in an organization. Bellemare, Lepage and Shearer found out that peer pressure is the main predictor of the workers productively and especially men. The study shows that there is no significant impact of peer pressure on women but significant to the productivity of men (Bellemare, Lepage & Shearer 15). In the business communication world, peer pressure can use to enhance the productivity of employees and consequently improve the firm's performance. 

Cons 

           Although there are various advantages of the "peer pressure effects," one of the disadvantage is that peer pressure can negatively influence the teen and consequently affect the marking and branding of the organization. Teens usually identify with peers. Hence, products that are not accepted by the peers are vulnerable to rejection from teens and consequently low consumption. In addition, "high levels of peer pressure were found to have a significant negative effect on productivity" (Bellemare, Lepage & Shearer 15). This illustrates that too much peer pressure can negatively affect the productivity in the workplace. 

Conclusion 

          As explained above, the "peer pressure effect" has a significant impact on the business communication world. Although there are some negative effects of the peer influence, the benefits outweigh the costs. Organization can utilize the sustainable level of peer pressure to increase the motivation of the employees and hence improve their performance.

Works Cited

Bellemare, Charles, Patrick Lepage, and Bruce Shearer. "Peer pressure, incentives, and gender: An experimental analysis of motivation in the workplace." Labour Economics 17.1 (2010): 276-283.

Sun, Yan-Shu, and Steve Guo. "Media Use, Social Comparison, Cognitive Dissonance and Peer Pressure as Antecedents of Fashion Involvement." Intercultural Communication Studies 22.1 (2013).

Wells, Karen C, John E. Lochman, and Lisa A. Lenhart. Coping Power: Parent Group Program : Facilitator Guide. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.