The Effects of Peer Pressure

What is the focus of the research discussed in the reading?

• The effect of peer pressure on academic choices

• The frustration of teachers with unmotivated students

• The importance of SAT prep courses

• The impact of honors classes on student performance

Answer explanation

The following article is a production of National Public Radio (NPR), hosted by Steve Inskeep. The text, transcribed from the original interview segment, reports on the social pressure students feel to be popular in school as well as new research suggesting that among teens, peer pressure and popularity can have significant effects on education.

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What happened to the signup rate for SAT prep courses when students believed their peers would find out?

• It varied depending on the type of class

• It stayed the same

• It went down by 11 percentage points

• It went up by 11 percentage points

Answer explanation

When they believed that the other students will find out about their choice, the signup goes down by 11 percentage points.

What did the researchers find about the effect of peer pressure on academic choices in honors classes?

• Students were more likely to sign up for SAT prep courses when the choice was private

• Students were more likely to sign up for SAT prep courses when the choice was public

• Honors students were less likely to sign up for SAT prep courses

• Peer pressure had no effect on academic choices in honors classes

Answer explanation

And Bursztyn says that when students were sitting in the honors classes, among peers who were more high-performing, they were more likely to sign up for the SAT prep course.

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What is the main reason why some students might not be putting their best effort forward in school?

• Lack of resources

• Lack of motivation

• Lack of intelligence

• Peer pressure

Answer explanation

Wow, so students essentially don’t want to be seen as a nerd, or in any case, they don’t want to be seen as different than what their peers are doing.

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What is the effect of peer pressure on academic choices among students who care a lot about being popular?

• It is weakest

• It is strongest

• It has no effect

• It varies depending on the type of class

Answer explanation

VEDANTAM: You know, that’s a really interesting question, Steve, because Bursztyn and Jensen find that in fact that’s not the case. These peer pressure affects are strongest among students who care a lot about being popular.

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What is the explanation for why some students might not want to be seen as a nerd?

• They lack intelligence

• They want to fit in with their peers

• They lack resources

• They lack motivation

Answer explanation

INSKEEP: Wow, so students essentially don’t want to be seen as a nerd, or in any case, they don’t want to be seen as different than what their peers are doing.

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What is the relationship between peer pressure and academic choices among students sitting with high-performing peers?

• Peer pressure varies depending on the type of class

• Peer pressure has no effect

• Peer pressure leads to more academic choices

• Peer pressure leads to fewer academic choices

Answer explanation

Now, what’s interesting, Steve, is that peer pressure worked in exactly the opposite direction in the honors classes. Now students sitting with the high-performing peers, where the norm was to do well academically, these students were more likely to sign up for the SAT prep course when the choice was public.

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What is the relationship between peer pressure and academic choices among students sitting with lower-performing peers?

• Peer pressure varies depending on the type of class

• Peer pressure has no effect

• Peer pressure leads to fewer academic choices

• Peer pressure leads to more academic choices

Answer explanation

And what they found was that students sitting with lower-performing peers were more likely to sign up for the SAT prep course when their choice was private. When the sign-up was made public, these students were declining to sign up because they thought their peers would find out.

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What is the explanation for why students might decline to sign up for SAT prep courses?

• They lack intelligence

• They don't want their peers to find out

• They lack motivation

• They lack resources

Answer explanation

And what they found was that students sitting with lower-performing peers were more likely to sign up for the SAT prep course when their choice was private. When the sign-up was made public, these students were declining to sign up because they thought their peers would find out.

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What is the focus of the study conducted by Bursztyn and Jensen?

• The importance of SAT prep courses

• The impact of honors classes on student performance

• The effect of peer pressure on academic choices

• The frustration of teachers with unmotivated students

Answer explanation

Exactly. Now, there was a catch in the way they conducted the study—by going into these schools at random times, they sometimes caught students sitting in honors classes and sometimes they caught them sitting in non-honors classes. And Bursztyn says that when students were sitting in the honors classes, among peers who were more high-performing, they were more likely to sign up for the SAT prep course. But when they were sitting in the non-honors classes, among lower-performing peers, something else happened.

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