RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In this paper, it has been identified that the lens in analyzing the topic of peer support during

peer pressure encounters is through the lens of Erik Erikson’s Theory of peer pressure wherein it

highlighted the presence of peer pressure in all areas or in any context, and the influence of this

pressure to the development of morality of a person. On the other hand, another lens that can be

used is the Social Impact theory of Bibb Latane that talks about how we are affected by our social

environment and the variety of opinions we encounter as social beings.

In the story "Road to Aras-asan," peer support was evidently found in the case of the

narrator and her three friends. It clearly shows that peer support can yield a wide array of outcomes

one's personality tied up with the people surrounding them. The social theory states that decisions,

motivations, and emotions of individual functions in the presence of other people. In the story, a

lot of events wherein the friends accompanied the mother throughout those journeys. From

pamamanhikan to the actual marriage of her son and his bride, the friends accompanied her even

though nothing could be gained from accompanying the mother. In addition, peer support was also

found in the family. Marrying into another religion is a taboo, but in the end the family decided to

support the decision of the son. At first, the mother was the only one that supported her son because

of her love to her son and ate the shame out of the issue, but after a lot of arguments and conflicts

that happened with their family, especially her husband, the family came to a decision to support

the son as presented by the story wherein the father went along with the mother ““His conscience

could not allow him to see me travelling to Aras-asan without him.”

The social force in the case of Flor giving a piece of heartfelt advice to Rebekah

stating, "Give love a chance" made a significant impact on her natural inclination as a mother. This

statement from her friends allowed the mother to come up with her best decision, which is through
maternal instinct despite the dilemma she faced as a mother and as a member of the religion Islam.

Any mother or even person could have said “no” to the marriage because of the many reasons for

the marriage to be called of, but she was able to overcome those reasons and found her reasons to

pursue those decisions.

According to the article "The Science of Decision Making and Peer Pressure," this process

of making decision occurs naturally in human experiences. During adolescence, our brain works

uniquely, which involves a chemical called dopamine in the brain's reward system. It transmits

signals in the brain that make people happy. When a person is exposed to a reward such as a

compliment, advice, and even physical presence, it strongly reacts to the reward center more than

it would for an adult and a child.

In addition, the presence of peers makes the reward system more sensitive to potential

rewards , "when adolescents are criticized or rejected by friends, there is a bigger response in parts

of the brain that control negative emotions." (Steinberg, 2006) Thus, there are biological reasons

when people decide on certain things, whether with their friends or on their own. It's either positive,

by encouraging them to face challenges or negative by leading them to wrong decisions – such as

drugs, alcohol, and doing risky things.

Moreover, another positive effect with peer support is that it helped the mother to go

through the sufferings of travelling to the place Aras-asan despite the fact of the long distances

that it went through. As evident in the passage “Those valiant three Flor, my best friend of about

thirty-five years, and two colleagues, Ferdinand and Elma---were willing to go to that hellhole

with me, and do what I could not ask of my kinsmen, that is, join me in a “tabooed” ritual — a

church wedding.” This gave the mother the biggest push on her to do what she has done, despite

the negative odds that was happening, such as the long distances and even the tabooed marriage.
One can really commend her friends because without her peers, the mother would probably not

survive the hellish journey they have traveled just to arrive to Aras-arasan. In the presence of her

peers, it made a significant impact and influence for the long hellish journey was possible through

them. As the passage stated obviously, her colleagues followed and accompanied her through thick

and thin, even though the peers do not really benefit anything by journeying with her. The

colleagues are really true friends.

It is suitable for the health having good friends. Friends provide support during hard times

and also accompany you in good times, preventing loneliness and increase your sense of

belongingness and purpose. Improve self-esteem and self-confidence or even help you cope up

with distressing and disturbing experiences. Studies have found out that having a healthy social

life reduces health problems and prolong life.

In addition to that, one last positive effect of peer support can be observed in the form of

security with trusted peers.. With peer support been channeled to a person, mutual trust and

relationship are really being built up and strengthened through time. In this world full of noxious

and wickedness, it is really important for someone to have few people that can be trusted. People

may not live by themselves, but in the end, people are still the one that can harm each other. With

few trusted significant others, sense of security and belongingness can be felt by a person who is

important as stated by Erik Erikson's stages of development. Without trusted friends, you can count

on and lean on, and one cannot survive in this world. As a human, it is part of our needs to have

sure someone significant others. This was also evident in text wherein the mother stated, “I would

not mind finding myself on the road to Aras-asan. Again. However, with the same jocund and like-

minded company, of course.” This goes to show the trust that the mother have on her friends.

Through a lot of shared experiences between each other she has already considered them as
valuable significant others, which is why peer support can really help in building trust and making

valuable and strong relationships.

However, not all the time during peer encounters, support is present. It may happen that

peer pressure can occur wherein the support that peers are giving are not the type that is just and

morally right. If there are sound effects of peer support, there could always be adverse effects to

it. As described by the Social Impact Theory, other people may influence a person positively and

negatively with no exception.

According to Jenna Breuer (2014), it's challenging to look at family and peer influences

independently one another because they are continually working in conjunction. Furthermore,

many people find themselves exposed to the culture that their parents came from where, in some

cases, values are foremost important. Most parents want their child to do things in their way, and

if it happens the other way around, that's when conflict comes through. Arguments, confrontation,

and recriminations are elevated, leading to some family struggle. As the mother said, "There was

re-alignment of forces – my husband and daughters ranged against my son, whom they had given

up for lost. By my son's predicament aroused my maternal instinct and bade me take up the cudgels

of the underdog. There were bitter recriminations. The result of the acrimonious confrontation

was my husband's declaration that he was not going with me to Aras-asan for the wedding. I met

his perfidious desertion head on with a counter-attack. I would file a divorce. It was an expiable

crime – his backing out and deserting me in my time of greatest need." This lead in an event

wherein there was a sort of rebellion that happened due to the absence of family support, just

disapproval.

Another thing that can be added on what could peer support negatively bring is the pressure

of the current norms by either the society, culture, and even religion. As stated by the Social Impact
theory, in social interactions with friends, family, and other people would influence someone into

something that may be positive or negative. Who we are now may not be because of our own self-

decisions, others may have had the biggest factor on why we are what we are now — our identity.

In the text wherein the mother said “Those three were virtually my fellow conspirators in what my

own folks and people considered and apostasy.” This just means that there was a pressure being

brought about by religion to the family because in Islam, it is forbidden to marry another person

in another religion especially if the marrying man is a Muslim. Freedom was already latent for the

family is already bound by the law of religion.

Lastly, another downside with peer support during peer pressure encounters is when peer

support already acts in a way wherein it negatively influences a person. In a way, it makes a person

confused already with his/her actions, decisions, and the like. In the text, the passage “His

conscience could not allow him to see me travelling to Aras-asan without him. He was doing it for

me and was unrelenting regarding his position on our son's lack of discretion, cultural sensitivity,

and concern for family honor. I knew it took a supreme effort of will on his part, but zi also knew

we reached the point of no return.” This just described the circumstance wherein the family has

undergone confusion in terms of identity in such a way that who will they be in the decision that

they will make — being a member of family or being a member of the religion.

Summary of Results:

Positive impacts of peer support during peer pressure encounters:

 Aids in decision-making

 Support system through thick and thin

  Sense of security with trusted peers

Negative impacts of peer support during peer pressure encounters:

 Insufficient support that leads to rebellion

 Bounded by the norms of society, culture, religion, etc.

 Identity confusion

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Upon analyzing the topic of peer support during peer pressure encounter through the lens

of different theories namely the Peer Pressure theory of Erik Erikson and Social Impact theory of

Bibb Latane, several results were drawn.

In conc lusion, having a healthy support system in times of peer pressure encounters gives

several impacts on an individual. It impacts us in terms of our interests, our drive to do our routines

and goals in life, how we see ourselves or our identity, and also our social status. It profoundly

impacts our personality, especially on the adolescents, and it intervenes in the development of our

morality. Most notably, on our psychological development, our actions, and how we function in

life is influenced by our families and our environment. These factors impact the decision-making

that enables us to cope with what we think is right and what could lead to a remorseless outcome.

Just like how Rebekah’s friend influenced her decision on the advice of “Give love a chance,” it

highlights the significance of having a healthy and harmonious relationship and communication

with our peers for it aids in nurturing and shaping us as individuals

Hence, conveniently, it is okay if an adolescent follows along doing as they were told to

do so. However, it would not develop a sense of identity and responsibility in their being. It is
because developing one's own identity is vital in the process of development and maturity.

Therefore, healthy and excellent communication and shared understanding between parents and

adolescents is essential. In the part of the son, he established his relationship based on what he

feels right rather than constricting himself with the values embedded in the family.