More on peering pressure

And finally, an ‘explanation’ for peer pressure is given below. Truthfully, it’s a hypothesis that says pretty much nothing. The explanation looks the same as the behaviour it is trying to explain!

“An explanation of how the peer pressure process works, called “the identity shift effect“, is introduced by social psychologist, Wendy Treynor, who weaves together Leon Festinger‘s two seminal social-psychological theories (on cognitive dissonance, which addresses internal conflict, and social comparison, which addresses external conflict) into a unified whole. According to Treynor’s original “identity shift effect” hypothesis, the peer pressure process works in the following way: One’s state of harmony is disrupted when faced with the threat of external conflict (social rejection) for failing to conform to a group standard. Thus, one conforms to the group standard, but as soon as one does, eliminating this external conflict, internal conflict is introduced (because one has violated one’s own standards). To rid oneself of this internal conflict (self-rejection), an “identity shift” is undertaken, where one adopts the group’s standards as one’s own, thereby eliminating internal conflict (in addition to the formerly eliminated external conflict), returning one once again to a state of harmony. Even though the peer pressure process begins and ends with one in a (conflict-less) state of harmony, as a result of conflict and the conflict resolution process, one leaves with a new identity—a new set of internalized standards.^[35]“

My guess is that peer pressure is just another aspect of the socialisation benefits of reciprocal altruism towards family, friends and even strangers.

Reciprocal altruism must be catalysed by conformity because it reduces the barriers to communication by making others look less scary.

Conformity, in turn, is accelerated by peer pressure.