IMPACT OF PEER PRESSURE TO ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE OF GRADE 11 STUDENTS

A Research
Presented to The Faculty of the General Education
STI College Tarlac

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the

Practical Research I

By

ALCANTARA, MAECY V.
DAYRIT, MARICAR S.
MALAYO, BLESSIE MAY A.
PALMA, MARK G.
ROMBAOA, HAROLD JOHN B.

MARCH 2019
 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Participation in peer groups plays a critical role in adolescent development and

experience. The significance of peer groups in human development is likely salient throughout

one's lifespan. Their influence begins at an early age and increases through the teenage years.

Teenagers aging between 11-17 often feel internal pressure to do things that they think their

peers are doing. Teens socialized with the people whom they interact on a regular basis. In

school, teenagers learn the skills of interpersonal interaction. Students spend almost 20 years in

school, and in this big amount of time, teenagers build deep relations with their friends. They

learn to share, to take turns, and to compromise with their peers.

Peer pressure is one of the major factors that affect the students’ academic performance.

It is the direct influence on people by peers, or the effect on an individual who gets encouraged

to follow their peers by changing their attitudes, values or behaviours to conform to those of the

influencing group or individual (Wikipedia). However, a person does not need to be a member or

be seeking membership of a group to be affected by peer pressure, a person who is being

influenced by other people without personal contact can also be treated as peer pressure. It is

commonly applied to younger people, especially those teenagers.

Responding to peer pressure is part of human nature that some teenagers are more likely

to give in, and others are better able to resist and stand their ground. Some can't escape it because

it is almost everywhere. It can also be defined as the way that people of the same social group

can influence on another individual to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise
conform in order to be accepted. To gain that sympathy and respect, some individuals will do

things they don't feel they should or things that they might not feel ready for, in order to fit in

and be like those around them. This plays out in a variety of situations, from bullying on the

school playground to drinking too much in college. The negative peer pressures can make a

person feel bad about the things they are doing, even as they continue doing them as a way to

feel connected to their peers.

Peer pressure feeds on the things that frighten us. All teens are social creatures; they

want to fit in, have friends, avoid loneliness and gain approval from others. The fear of not

having those things is enough to propel some people to extreme or inappropriate responses.

Students often give in to peer pressure because they don't want to be rejected by friends. Youth

are also much less likely to be sure of themselves or what they want, making them more

susceptible to peer pressure that pushes them to test boundaries. And, since students face many

new situations in high school and college, they might find themselves in a position of not having

the knowledge or tools to free themselves from a bad spot. People who are unsure of themselves,

new to the group, or inexperienced with peer pressure may also be more likely to give in.

It is also shown that there are two main features that seem to distinguish teenagers from

adults in their decision making, During early adolescence in particular, teenagers are drawn to

the immediate rewards of a potential choice and are less attentive to the possible risks. Second,

teenagers in general are still learning to control their impulses, to think ahead, and to resist

pressure from others. These skills develop gradually, as a teen’s ability to control his or her

behavior gets better throughout adolescence. Thereby showing us the importance of Drug

Awareness and Educational Programs as a means of helping our teens make the right decisions.
 The effects of peer pressure can be seen around the world. The New India Express ran an

article recently covering the story of a Dr. B Sandhya Rani who may have committed suicide due

to peer pressure and the challenges of post grad study. Even as adults, people can be affected by

peer pressure as it is always prevalent within society. It seems that as today there is more

technology available and given to young teen. This opens them up to more pressure from friends.

In America, peer pressure has led teens to rebel against cigarettes and teens in Africa to protect

themselves from AIDS. It has brought worshippers into a closer relationship with God. It has

even led millions of people to quit drinking and drugs. It’s come to the realization that it has

happened everywhere but many people do not realize when it happens. Positive peer pressure

can change people’s behavior and solve seemingly intractable problems. Peer power has met

challenges ranging from intimate struggles with temptation to the grand dramas of global

politics. And peer pressure has led villagers in India to vanquish infant mortality, turned D

students into A students in college calculus, created social movements, turned gang members

straight, and even fought terrorism.

Youth is a period characterised by rapid psychological and physical transition, where

young people progress from being dependent children to independent adults. This transition

period has been made more complex by the social, economic and technological changes that

have occurred in Australia over recent decades. In 2007, there were 2.9 million people aged 15-

24 years, making up 14% of the total population. This article examines the risky behaviours of

this population, focusing on risks where the potential harm is immediate, such as short term risky

or high risk drinking, illicit drug use and dangerous driving. While not all young people engage

in these risky behaviours, the consequences for those who do, and for those around them, can be
serious. This article also examines some of the potential consequences: being charged with

criminal offences, hospitalisation and, in some cases, death.

In Asian region, peer pressure is also existing. Some of teenagers in Japan, experience

peer pressure and it actually leads them to suicide. It appears that some people suffer from

depression on a regular basis and then decide to commit suicide. In Japanese high schools,

conformity is imperative. Kids can be assaulted or mocked for anything, from dyed hair to

weight to where they were born. The bullying problem in schools is one that most Americans are

familiar with, but it’s hard to comprehend it on the Japanese scale. The stories of kids being

bullied in Japan are endless. A quick Google search will turn up numerous instances of Japanese

kids being tormented by their peers. Often, it’s for something as trivial as where they were born.

The factor behind suicide is complex because you have so many variables. However, certain

common factors do prop up and this applies to peer pressure, unemployment, bullying,

relationship failure, depression, low esteem, financial concerns, caring for a loved one who is

very sick, and other important reasons.

Another country which also experiences peer pressure is China. The demography of

children in China with the age of 17 top 367 million in China, higher than in any other country,

and some 30 million of them are facing peer-related problems. All teenagers experience some

degree of peer pressure in high school, whether it may be negative or positive. The type of peer

pressure they are exposed to, depends on their support system and who they choose to surround

themselves with. Many students often see peer pressure as an old cautionary tale that doesn’t

apply to them because they believe they’re smart enough to make good choices. However, when

surrounded by all of their friends with the looming idea of humiliation, their actions may not

follow their morals.

 In China, students mostly experience alcohol-related peer pressure. According to (Borsari

& Carey, 2001; Santor et al., 2000) Chinese university student life include being offered a toast,

having a drink refilled without asking, being teased for refusing to drink, having the urged to

drink more, or buying rounds. Drinking within a group is not an individual choice, but rather an

obligation to group harmony and loyalty to others within the group. A study showed a data

analysis to examine the relationships of alcohol-related peer pressure and the results indicates

that Physical Education major students (77.8%) are more regular drinkers than History major

students (39.9%). Data were collected from all students present in the surveyed classroom in

June 2014.

While peer pressure among teenagers dominates around the world, here in the

Philippines, many of the teenagers also experiences peer pressure. In Cebu, there's a part on that

place where peer pressure is very well-known. Studies have confirmed that among teenagers,

alcohol use, smoking, pre-marital sex and drug use have been strongly influenced by peer

pressure. A researcher stated that “Teens are not fully aware that they are already experiencing

peer pressure. They are just hanging out with their friends but their decisions are slowly being

affected by their peers. It is probably more accurate to refer to this as peer influence, or social

influence to adopt a particular type of behavior, dress, or attitude in order to be accepted as part

of a group of your equals. As a teen, it’s likely you’ve experienced the effect of peer influence in

a number of different areas, ranging from the clothes you wear to the music you listen to.”

According to the Dean in Cebu, teenagers face a lot of pressure in their efforts to conform

to their peer group since, it cultivates self-esteem if you are accepted by the group. The peer

group is the strongest reference group for the adolescent. Because it seems to be the most potent

contextual group for teenagers, then it holds a major reward (acceptance) and punishment
(rejection) ability. At a time when teenagers are widely confronted with identity issues, peer

pressure is at its greatest. In order for them to discover who they are and establish their identity

as individuals, they tend to see themselves in the context of the others around them. Teenagers

who lack parental care and guidance are likewise vulnerable to peer pressure. Dr. Conaco

pointed out that many of today’s adolescents belong to broken families, either because of

parental conflicts or because of parents working overseas. Due to the absence of an adult figure,

they lean on their friends for support, instead.

In Tarlac, a province in Philippines, peer pressure is also experienced by teens. Students

encounter peer pressure mostly in schools. Researchers interviewed some students from different

schools in Tarlac. According to the teen tarlaquenos “Too much expectations of our parents or

the people who are involved from our life actually pushed us to grew closer with our peers”.

Unfortunately peer-pressure doesn’t stop at school. It follows us into the workplace. Peer

pressure are not just for teens. The laborer or the worker of companies here in Tarlac also

experience pressure from peers. Some of their co-workers, persuade them to change their

attitude, and also their own decisions. It may be that a co-worker wants them to go out for drinks

after work but they don’t really want to, it may be continuous junk mails circulating around the

office that try and capture their attention or could be from a co-worker asking them to cover their

shift for their peers. These are just a few examples of peer-pressure occurring in the workplace.

Their decisions together with their own lifestyles are influenced by their co-workers because the

pressure to do what others are doing, can be powerful and hard to resist. Peer pressure can be a

big impact for people’s lifestyle if they allowed other person to make decisions for themselves.

In STI College Tarlac, peer pressure is also seen as one of the factor that affects students’

academic performance. Students mostly spend their time within their peers because of the time
they have to spend in school. Team or group work activities and performance tasks are highly

recommended and used inside the classroom since it is known that there is a big matter with

regards to students influencing their fellow students. Teens are most likely to be influenced

negatively by their friends although it is clear that the main purpose of having these activities is

to motivate and help each other in order to acquire more knowledge and have better quarterly

grades.

With these observations, the researchers deemed it imperative to conduct this study to

further examine how peer pressure affects the academic performance of grade 11 SHS students

in STI College Tarlac.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to describe and identify the impact of peer pressure to the academic

performance of Grade 11 Senior High school students.

Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the activities showing peer pressure?

2. How can academic performance be described in terms of:

2.1. Attendance

2.2. Class participation

3. What are the effects of peer pressure to academic performance of

students?

4. How does peer pressure victims cope up with peer pressure?

5. How do those who cause peer pressure, avoid peer pressure?

6. What are the implications of this study to STI College Tarlac?

Scope and Delimitation

This study will analyse the impact of peer pressure to academic performance of students.

It focuses on the effects, influence and factors to be considered by the teenagers in dealing with

peer pressure and the pressure that involves in peers. The study will be conducted at STI College

Tarlac, specifically, the grade 11 students. This paper will use a descriptive qualitative method.

The researchers aims to examine the effects of peer pressure by gathering information about the

topic, analysing past studies conducted related to the topic, interviewing the participants through

interview guides, reading articles about peer pressure and then make appropriate conclusion

about it.

Significance of the Study

The ultimate goal of this study is to know the impact of peer pressure to academic

performance of students. Thus, the results of the study will be a great benefit to the teenagers,

parents, teachers, school administrators and staff, researchers and future researches.

To the teenagers. This research paper would be able to help teenagers to carefully

choose people to be with. They will be able to be guided in choosing their group to be fit in.

They need to think critically where they should go and what way they wanted to be. This

research paper aims to help, most especially teenagers because they are the one who are being

affected with this issue.

To the parents. They will have the idea about the issue that their child was going

through and for them to be aware that peer pressure is real. This research paper will help them

think of a proper way on guiding their child. So that teenagers would be able to take chances of

doing right things together with their peers.

 To the Teachers, they will be knowledgeable on their students’ situation and the

pressures they face in peers. As facilitators of learning they can be more considerate and

supportive of their student so that they will perform better in their academics.

To the Administration and Staff, this study will provide recommendations and provide

knowledge about peer pressure especially in the Grade 11 SHS students and identify the effects

on them in which they depict from peers, by letting them know what peer pressure is, and how

they can help to improve the students’ academic performance. They can propose programs and

activities that will contribute positive effects on the students.

To the Researchers, this will provide the researchers further understanding and expand

their prior knowledge about the study that they have conducted. They will be informed of the

effects or impact of peer pressure on themselves.

To the future researchers. This study can be a source of information for the future

researchers especially this study is widely discuss, yet, society is not truly aware and conscious

about this issue. Researchers can be a way to let people know the importance of having

knowledge about the impact of peer pressure.

Definition of Terms

Academic Performance. The total score or grade point which is attained by distance

learners. It is measured using a trimester’s grade point average (GPA) and an academic

year’s cumulative grade point average. (Wikipedia)

Adolecents. It refers to a young person who is developing into an adult. (Merriam

Webster)
Decision Making. The thought process of selecting a logical choice from the available

options (Business Dictionary)

Experience. A knowledge a person gets by doing something or watching someone else

do it. Experience is learning through actions.(Wikipedia)

Group Work. In this study, group work it refers to the involvement of students working

collaboratively on set tasks, in or out of the classroom.

Interpersonal Interaction. A communication process that involves the exchange of

information, feelings and meaning by means of verbal and non-verbal messages, between

two or more persons. (Quora)

Peer Groups. It is both a social group and a primary group of people who have similar

interests, age, background, or social status. The members of this group are likely to

influence the person’s beliefs and behaviour. (Wikipedia)

Peer Influence. Peer influence is a persuading/influencing action. It is a better way to

describe how teenagers’ behavior is shaped by wanting to feel they belong to a group of

friends or peers. They are not pressurized, they are gradually influenced by seeing their

friends being in a group they wish to belong to and let what they do grow on them.

Peer Pressure. In this study, it refers to the way that people of the same social group can

influence on another individual to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise

conform in order to be accepted.

Teenagers. In this study, teenagers refers to the people who are mostly affected by peer

pressure. They are aging from 11-17 years old.

 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter summarizes the information from other researchers and writers who have
conducted their research or study on the subject peer pressure. The study reviews relevant
literature and studies related to peer pressure and academic performance of students.

LITERATURE

According to Atwater and Duffy (1999) at the first level one can publicly go with

others but refuse to change his private beliefs at this stage little peer pressure can affect. The

second level of social influence is when people behave like others because they are attracted with

them. They change their style and adopt the group or person has and when they apart one

returned on their own. At this stage one has no personal intention; he/she will do the same as the

others in group will do. They can return to their original beliefs when the peer pressure removed.

The third level is where someone has truly influenced and changes his own forever. This is the

crucial stage one can build or destroy his future because of this influence or pressure.

Starlet (2010) stated that the effect of the influences of the masses is greater during your

teen years. Parents have a vital role to play during this phase of a person's life. Parents and

teachers need to be careful while dealing with teenagers, as they are most susceptible to succumb

to peer pressure during these years of their life. Teenage individuals need to be taught to

distinguish between the good and the bad, the right and the wrong and should be taught to be

thoughtful in life.

According to Aldanese (2010) when teenagers have to make decisions in the heat of the

moment or in social situations, their decisions are often influenced by external factors like peers.
While it can be hard for teens to resist peer influence sometimes, especially in the heat of the

moment, it can also have a positive effect. Just as people can influence others to make negative

choices, they can also influence them to make positive ones. It says in the article that the

influence of peers is big and it actually plays a big role in every student’s life.

Jacobson (2013) stated that peer pressure is certainly alive and well among today’s teens:

90% of teens admit to being influenced or pressured by peers. Nearly three-quarters say that

giving in to peer pressure has boosted their social standing. Peer pressure influences behavior at

a younger age than previously thought. In a recent study, researchers at the University of

Southern California expected to find that pressure from peers to smoke cigarettes peaks in high

school. Instead, they discovered that pressure to smoke is greater in middle school than in high

school.

According to Rowan (2017) Having friends who smoke doubles the risk that youngsters

between 10 and 19 will pick up the habit; this influence is, evidently, more powerful in societies

where relationships between people play a central role in a person’s identity. Hong Kong

teenagers warned to ignore the influence of others because of its big influence to teens.

Synthesis

In connection with these researches, there are certain result that proves that peer pressure

affect students’ behaviors in a negative and positive way. Which afterwards affect their academic

performance inside the class room. Researchers on related literatures presents that peers has a big

role in every students lives. Some of it propose that peer pressure is contagious and unavoidable.

This research will tend to know if the peer pressure being experienced by the students, have

importance or effect on the students’ academic performances.

FOREIGN STUDIES

According to Brown (1992) two samples, consisting of a total of 1,027 6th–12th graders

from separate communities, were given measures of peer conformity dispositions (willingness to

accede to peer pressure), perceptions of peer pressure, and self-reported frequency of behavior

concerning 2 major aspects of teenage life: peer involvement and misconduct. Results indicate

that perceived less peer pressure toward misconduct than peer involvement and also were

comparatively less willing to follow peers in misconduct. Nevertheless, perceived peer pressure

and conformity disposition accounted for more of the variance in self-reported misconduct than

in self-reported peer involvement. Age differences were modest and varied among measures and

samples.

Taylor and Wong (1996) The study highlighted that gender difference exists in the

perception of peer. Study further indicated that the adolescents who have a high level of

conformity to unconventional peer behavior tend to have lower GPA then those who have lower

level of conformity. The boys’ grades are more strongly affected by peer orientation than girls.

The male peers who exhibits negative behavior has lower utility for school.

According to Clasen (2007) A sample of 689 adolescents (grades 7–12) from two

Midwestern communities who had been identified by peers as members of one of three major

peer groups responded to a self-report survey measuring perceptions of peer pressure in five

areas of behavior: involvement with peers, school involvement, family involvement, conformity

to peer norms, and misconduct. Perceived pressures toward peer involvement were particularly

strong, whereas peer pressures concerning misconduct were relatively ambivalent. Perceived

pressures toward misconduct increased across grade levels and pressures to conform to peer
norms diminished; grade differences in perceived peer pressures concerning family involvement

were community specific. Compared to druggie-toughs, jock-populars perceived stronger peer

pressures toward school and family involvement, and less pressure toward (stronger pressure

against) misconduct; patterns of perceived pressure among loners were more variable across

communities. Results elaborated the process of peer influence in adolescent socialization and

identity development.

Hansen (2008) stated in the study entitled “Preventing alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette

use among adolescents: Peer pressure resistance training versus establishing conservative norms”

Two strategies for preventing the onset of alcohol abuse, and marijuana and cigarette use were

tested in junior high schools in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California. our experimental

conditions were created by randomly assigning schools to receive (a) neither of the experimental

curricula (placebo comparison), (b) resistance skill training alone, (c) normative education alone,

or (d) both resistance skill training and normative education. Students were pretested prior to the

program and post-tested 1 year following delivery of the program. There were no significant

main effects of resistance skill training. These results suggest that establishing conservative

norms is an effective strategy for preventing substance use.

Carman and Zhang (2008) also conducted a research on “Classroom peer effects and

academic achievement”. According to them, the sample of the research was 7th to 9th grade

students of China. During the study the peer and teachers remain the same for three years. The

peer effect on the achievement of Mathematics, China and English was observed. The linear in

mean model was used to control the individual and teacher interaction by test fixed effects.

The findings were the significant positive peer effect on the mathematics test score and

positive but not significant effect on Chinese test score and no effect on English test score.
 A study to present the stimulating conditions at work place is conducted. According to

Bellemare, Lepage and Shearer (2009), The main variables were peer pressure, incentives and

gender. The major finding was that very high and very low level of peer pressure can

significantly decrease the productivity of workers conducted

According to Tope (2011) who investigated the influence of peer group on

adolescent’s academic performance. The sample of the study was 150 randomly selected

students from four secondary schools. The findings were the peer group could either positively

or negatively influence the academic performance in school. Tope recommended that

parents and teachers may provide adequate guidance to adolescents to help them understand

how the friends can positively or negatively influence their academic performance.

LOCAL STUDIES

According to Mascardo, Mauricio and Espinosa (2013), who conducted the study entitled

“The Effects of Peer Pressure to the selected students of CNHS”. Some teenagers give in to peer

pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other teens may make

fun of them if they do not go along with the group others may go along because they are curious

to try something new that others are doing. In this way, teens are influenced in either good or bad

effects.

Barrera (2015) stated in her study entitled “the Interplay of Self-Control and Peer

Influence in Filipino Delinquency”, that self-control and differential association have direct

effects on delinquency, but self-control does not render differential association-delinquency

relationship spurious. In fact, differential association mediates the effects of self-control on

delinquency. These results suggest that self-control and differential association are
complementary, thus indicating that integration of these concepts might be a better way of

modeling Filipino delinquency.

Magbanua (2016) stated in the study entitled “Peer Pressure” it says that Peer Pressure

can be either be positive or negative. It depends on the way you looked at it. It can be so good in

a way that it may change you to be a better person but on the other hand, it can also be harmful

to the point that it may lead you to do no good.

Alegre (2017) conducted a research “The Impact of peer pressure at Selected grade 12 in

Academic Performance in DBGC”. According to him, peer groups influence social and academic

developments, and that these influences begin at the very start of formal education. influences

and motivations for all kinds of adolescents behavior, including study habits and personal

academic development, come mostly from their peers to whom they come into close contact.

According to Calingayan (2017) who investigated the “Influence of peers in the study

habits among bachelor of elementary education students”, out of hundred students, most of them

said that they were being influenced by peers in a positive way. It is also said that peers support

students with regards their academic performance.

Synthesis

These related studies focused mostly on peer pressure and academic performance of

students. Seven of the studies explain that peer pressure has a positive effect with regards to

students’ academic performance. It is said that peers motivates them to do better at school.

Another research explains that boys are the ones who experiences peer pressure the most because

of the lack of support from their parents. Furthermore, only one research study proves that peer

pressure has no effect on academic performance of students.