The collected data in the next figure reveals how peer pressure impacts second-year students at NEU.
Figure 2.3: Measurements from second-year students about how peer pressure affected
1. Be influenced to gain new experience 2. Have more motivation in studying 3. Become a better version of yourself
4. Get depressed because of thinking not good enough 5. Want to discontinue
6. Get jealous with others’ success 7. Decrease self-confident about yourself
8. Abuse alcohol drinks to reduce pressures
9. Feel isolated from peers, lack direction in their lives 10. Have negative (suicidal) thoughts
In the figure 2.3, generally positively, almost all students agreed that peer pressure bringed advantage for them. Particularly, there were 63% of respondents agreed that they were influenced to gain new experience which three fold than that of disagreed. Regarding more motivation in studying, 67 out of 118 students (57%) agreed and the other 27 students (23%) strongly agreed, whereas no one strongly disagreed. Moreover, agreement and strong agreement choices outnumbered by 75% students in total voted for the item of becoming a better version. It also can be seen from the figure that the percentage of the students who disagreed or undecided were relatively low in both three items.
However, when considering the negative effects on second-year students, the researcher found that the majority of the students accepted that they felt isolated and decreased self-confidence about themselves as well as having negative thoughts which accounted for 35%, 57% and 31% respectively. According to the table, in terms of jealousy with other success and depression, the percentage of students undecided and agree is relatively the same. There was an equal between undecided and disagreed (36%) when respondents considered the effect of wanting to discontinue. It can be concluded that despite pressure from peers, they will strive to be recognised by everyone. Specifically, there were a total 73% of students voting in strong disagreement (39%) as well as disagreement (34%) which accounted for the largest ratio of abusing alcohol drinks to relieve peer pressure. It seems that consuming alcohol is not a common solution to tackle pressure among students in university.
Besides it, another respondent also added a view that many peers took unsuitable words, actions, behaviors on others, even abuse them, as a psychological tool to call out loud the power, high level or status, but they imply an inability to defend when facing negative factors in reality.
In conclusion, it is true that peer pressure has an influence on students in both emotion, thinking as well as action in positive and negative ways.
2.4. Second-year students suggested solutions to tackle negative peer pressures.
The table 2.4 illustrates the evaluation of second-year students about the solution to tackle negative peer pressures.
No Solutions SD D U A SA
1 Get support from parents 6.3% 22.8% 36.8% 26.3% 7.8%
2 Spend time for yourself to assess spend strengths and weaknesses instead
0.8% 5.2% 25.4% 48.2% 20.1%
3 Find something to focus on and set aside peer pressure (sport, cooking,etc..)
0.8% 9.6% 16.6% 49.1% 23.6%
4 Build self-esteem for yourself 0.8% 7% 35.9% 37.7% 18.4%
5 Speak with the individual who is putting you under peer pressure.
8.7% 18.4% 39.4% 22.8% 10.5%
6 Recognize unhealthy behaviours to avoid 1.7% 4.3% 22.8% 50.8% 20.1%
7 Plan ahead on what you can say or do to avoid being pressured
0.8% 9.6% 29.8% 45.6% 14%
8 Choose peers who share the same beliefs and values 2.6% 3.5% 21.9% 45.6% 26.3%
9 Avoid peers who can cause self-doubt, or may disregard 2.6% 14.9% 22.8% 43.8% 15.7%
your feelings
10 Back out when you are being negatively pressurized 4.3% 4.3% 23.6% 48.2% 19.2%
Table 2.4: Recommendations from second-year students to tackle negative peer
SD: strongly disagree D: Disagree
U: Undecided A: Agree
SA: Strongly agree
From the table, it is apparent that 59 out of 118 answers of students (50%) show the agreement of recognising unhealthy behaviors to avoid. Regarding finding something to focus on and setting aside peer pressure, there were 58 out 118 students (49%) agreed with the thesis and other 27 students (23.6%) strongly agreed whereas there were only about 1 student strongly disagreed. Moreover, agreement in spending time for yourself to assess strengths and weaknesses and backing out when you were being negatively pressurized both dominated other points of view.
However, when considering the student’s solutions for peer pressure, the researchers found that there were a considerable number of students who could not decide whether or not they agree with their points of view. “Speaking with the individual who had put peer pressure on”, “building self-esteem” and “getting support from parents” are the points of view that students could not decide took the highest percentage with 39.4 %, 35.9% and 36.8% respectively. According to the chart above, we can see that the ratio between agreement and indecision is quite close to each other for the solution of building self-esteem. It can be concluded that despite many solutions proposed to reduce peer pressure, the solution involves parents mostly making students unable to decide if it is suitable for themself or not.
This solution is the only one that has the percentage of undecided higher than any options (35.9%). The reason for this may be the generation gap. From the table,
most students tend to share pressures with their friends or find other recreation to have fun or probably just relieve stress instead of getting support from parents.
Specifically, in the last open question of the survey questionnaire, a student recommended that: “Everything happens for reasons, even peer pressure. Focus on what you're doing, what you love to do, what you think it would help you to become your desired identity, personality. All about them are the rhythm of life, let's feel it by your heart and judge it by your brain.”
To sum up, having studied and analyzed the results obtained from the data in Google Form for students in second-year students, many of the students had been found having poor self-confidence and moreover, pressurizing by future goals. This led to the significant effect on student’s thoughts. In general , the students tend to recognize unhealthy behaviors to avoid . As a result, the researcher chose to use layout challenges and arguments that had not previously been employed in order to assist sophomores in lowering peer pressure.
CHAPTER 3: RECOMMENDATIONS