I disagree, because if your friends and or other people are trying to encourage you to do something good then it really isn't peer preasure. That is called giving good advice, or friendly encouragement. Peer pressure is when peole try to encourage you or pressure you into doing something that is against your better judgement, which in most cases tends to be over something that is usually and or potencially harmful.

It's important to prepare a child for what to do in a peer pressure situation and they need to understand how to recognize it (if it were coming from their friends, for example). However, peer pressure is never "beneficial," in my opinion.
And as sesshyswind said, if it were beneficial, then it wouldn't be called peer pressure...

I think it's often bad, but it can depend on the situation. For example, in my social circle at school we were the well behaved ones, and nobody in our circle would have bullied someone or committed a crime or something, they knew it wouldn't be looked on well. It wasn't just good advice or friendly encouragement, because it's not like someone would say 'hey, should I bully that girl?' and we'd say 'nope, that's a bad idea'. It was just the kind of thing that wouldn't be viewed well by the group, and everyone knew it. If someone in our circle had done something illegal or bullied someone they would've been looked down on. I'm not saying all that kept us from doing wrong was social pressure, but the social situation you're in when you're young and growing up plays at least some part in the values you develop. We didn't even want to do wrong because we'd been raised in our mini society where it wasn't ok. Like some kids are growing up in their social circle where it is ok, so it feels like less of a big deal without even thinking about it, because their mini society as a whole puts less importance on good behaviour, which plays a part in their perception of it. If while you are still developing your values you are in a situation with no boundaries, where you can get away with being as bad as you want, chances are you're going to be bad. If the social pressure gives you negative consequences for bad behaviour you learn it's not acceptable. Like if a little kid is mean to another, and their social group gets angry with them for upsetting their friend. That kid learns being mean has socially negative results, and stops. They age knowing being mean isn't ok, and age to understand the moral reasons behind it. That is peer pressure. Minus the peer pressure, if in that same situation there had been no socially negative results from being mean, chances are the kid would learn nothing, and would develop the type of bad personality that doesn't mature to see the moral problems with being rude. Even though in my group of friends we'd never have been rude to eachother or tried to get someone to do something they didn't want to, I think there's an undeniable pressure to not be the bad one if all your friends are behaving well, and if you grow up as part of that sort of group it's less likely you'll even want to. That's still peer pressure, because it's an example of how the opinion of a group as a whole can play a part in the opinion it's individual members develop.
It's very often bad too, just explaining some of the other side, since I think we're all aware of the dangers and all too common bad side of peer pressure.

Also, A study conducted at the University of Virginia apparently showed that kids who were exposed to peer pressure around the ages of 12 and 13 turned out to be more well-adjusted than the ones who weren't. Of course there are often conflicting studies in psychological areas, and I haven't looked into it enough to see if or in what way there have been opposing studies, so I'm not using this as definite fact, just think it's interesting to note. Here's a link that talks about it:
link

Peers are beneficial, but I don't believe peer pressure is.

This article states the benefits of peer pressure and, of course, the harm it has.

According to this article and others I have found, peer pressure can indeed be beneficial.

link

It depends on how it's used. If it's used to keep kids away from drugs (like your article mentions, sapherequeen) then that's great. It's a big check mark in the 'Pro' column in my book. But, everything has its opposite and there will always be people who use it to turn kids onto drugs (or other harmful behaviors).

Not at all! Being a high school student, I know from first-hand experience that peer pressure isn't exactly trying to help you stay away from drugs.

It all depends on what kind of peer pressure is going on. If drugs or smoking or anything horrible like that, then forget it. It's just bad. But sometimes, someone can be very cautious and not a person who likes to take risks, even little ones. If peer pressure involves this person's friend, say, pressuring them into going a party (not all parties have alcohol or anything dangerous. Just plenty of them, and let's say this one doesn't), then it will help that person gain social strength and grow as a person. Most of the time, I am against it. However, there are exceptions.

I believe children should learn to speak their own opinion, and to accept the opinion of others. If a friend is giving you peer pressure, especially something bad, they're not really great friends for forcing you to go against your better judgement.

If someone makes you do something good,its not peer pressure. But if your "friends" make you do something that you're not comfortable with,or don't want to do,that is peer pressure. Its not good and you should always know that you should speak for yourself,don't listen to someone just because they tell you that its good. You should know in yourself,your intuition will tell you what is good and whats not.

I don't understand. If your peers pressure you into doing something good (trying out for captain, applying for a certain job, going to college, for example), then what is it called if not peer pressure?

I get taught about the holocaust at school and one of the main reasons why no one did a thing to stop it was because of peer pressure.
Also my bff started to drink like crazy because of peer pressure.
Also students hate to get good grades because they're afraid that people will start laughing at them. And that ain't the school, that's peer pressure.
Also there's always one real bully and a lot of followers. Guess what that is? Peer pressure.

If everyone would just stop and think for a moment; "what would I do in that situation?" there would be so much less(lol contrary stuff over there) peer pressure going on. I dunno which idiot voted "agree" but the word "pressure" should imply it's not something that's nice....

If you'd bothered to read the comments, you'd know why those "idiots" agreed.

-_-

"Influence from members of one's peer group."

Just one of many definitions that fall under "peer pressure". You can look at the others here;
link
Notice how the overall idea of what this phrase means doesn't state that the influence must be negative.

That's why "idiots" agree, chaan94.

Arrogant a$$hole.

EDIT: And it's obvious that I would agree with Bri-Marie as well xD

This website needs factual comments. >: >; >; >; >; >:

I agree with Bri-marie. Peer pressure is the same when your friends are trying to push into being a Team Captain, or to do something 'good', as opposed to pressuring you into doing drugs. The difference is not whether it is called peer pressure, but how strong your will, to not be pushed around, is. It's still peer pressure, they just happen to 'pressuring' you into doing something constructive and not necessarily bad. Hence my vote.

It really all depends. On one end you have those who want to encourage people to do illegal things on the other you'll have this kid wanting to steal a bike and his friends trying to pressure him out of it.

@Zanhar. That is a good example! XD

Thank you. :D

You're welcome. XD

i firmly say that peer pressure is beneficial when we are in a good company of peers...and for a good company we need to have morals from our parents from childhood. :/

But what if you are in the company of bad people?

yes i agree...because the person who pressurizes you to do wrong does not deserve to be called "friend"..so its quiet straight and forward that peer pressure is beneficial .

It depends on who your peers are, but usually, I'd disagree.

Peer pressure is beneficially as long as we know our limits,it is all up to us to be strong,so unshakeable that we not influenced by ou peers.friends are many some make us better some worse,about a constructive change in your personality.peer pressure can lead you to make the right choices in life.

Disagree,Because if friends are telling one to do something that isn't harmful then I don't think it would be peer pressure,it's more of giving good advice or something of that nature. Peer Pressure is people telling someone to do something that goes against one's better judgement,and it can potentially be harmful. I completely agree with sesshyswind on this.

I don't think people should be forced to do something. They have the right to choose.

pEER pressure is worst. My friends start masturbating because of pp, i abuse one because of pp, Everyone laughs at me Because now I have overcome it and live my life at my own terms. They don't do it because they want to do it, they do it in pressure that others will laugh at them if they won't target me,after all they are too weak to follow my path.