Whitney Helms Peer Pressure of Underage Drinking Assignment 2 3/18/2014

Introduction/Background
This paper investigates underage drinking and social factors that influence the social consumption of alcohol. More specifically we will explore sources which speak to media, peer and context influence on underage drinking and other illegal acts. This paper will also discuss the glamorization of illegal acts of underage drinking and peer pressure. Underage drinking is a serious problem here in the United States and it is happening all of the time, everywhere. I am a college student, and it is very common for underage drinking to take place at college because not everyone is the legal age yet, but we can be around it often if we are at a party or somewhere where alcohol may be with some people that are twenty-one. I have seen a good bit of underage drinking myself since I have been at college, and it can very much get out of hand and escalate quickly. Although underage drinking is a very common thing in this time, something needs to be done about it. Adolescents do not understand and dont normally know how to take the precautions that an adult would while drinking. For example, if my mom goes to have fun on a night out with her girlfriends they always make sure to have a designated driver. Some underage students who drink may not be that responsible and think that they can drive even though they only drank a little bit. That little bit that you drank can determine your future, if you get pulled over and are caught underage drinking you can get a DUI (driving under the influence). This DUI can ruin your life, it will go on your record, you can get your license taken away. My moms best friend was caught driving under the influence and it was very hard for him to get back and forth to work, having to ask friends to pick him up because he didnt have his license. It
Commented [WH3]: Great real life example, continue. Commented [WH2]: Specify what im talking about. People drinking can get out of hand. Commented [WH1]: Move this paragraph to last paragraph of intro.

Whitney Helms Peer Pressure of Underage Drinking Assignment 2 3/18/2014

is also embarrassing to have something like that on your record, making a stupid decision that can change the rest of your life and ruin your career is not worth having fun for a night out. There are things you can do to have fun and it not involve drinking alcohol or using illegal substances. Be safe and wait until your time where it is legal to drink and you know how to be responsible about your alcohol.

Entering the Conversation

The television show I am writing on is Awkward. This show portrays peer pressure and illegal acts of underage drinking and drug use. In a couple of episodes this type of bad behavior is shown and it is portrayed as a glamorous act. The main character Jenna starts dating this new bad guy named Collin. Collin gets Jenna involved in smoking marijuana and this starts as a new habit for her. This show underscores the actions of these behaviors, but yet is still entertaining. When Jenna and Collin smoke in their cars it is shown as a funny, giggly time. Later on she is caught by the police and it shows some of the consequences you can have when dealing with illegal drugs. In another episode Jennas ex-boyfriend Matty throws a party for St. Patricks Day and they are all high school students at this party, and there is underage drinking involved. Jenna invites a new friend named Bailey to the party, and she isnt a drinker, but she felt like she should since everyone else was. Bailey tried an alcoholic beverage, and this is shown as a form of peer pressure. This is also a non-serious episode about illegal acts such as underage drinking. It is glamourized by not showing the serious results and consequences of what could happen by
Commented [WH9]: Add more, choppy sentences.Which is portrayed by this non-serious episode Commented [WH8]: Tell what happened when she got caught by the police. Commented [WH7]: Describe who Collin is and why he is bad. Commented [WH6]: Great topic, good choice. Commented [WH4]: Not writing on Awkward, writing on underage drinking. Did observation paper on Awkward. Commented [WH5]: Describe the show. (on MTV)

Whitney Helms Peer Pressure of Underage Drinking Assignment 2 3/18/2014

their decisions and actions being made. This show just makes it seem like underage drinking is a cool thing to do and nothing is wrong with it. The characters actions are very much underscored, but yet it is still very entertaining to many. Can this type of behavior be shown and not be offensive? It is a very entertaining show, but I could see where some might show offense to some by this type of glamourized show. For example, if a family has lost a loved one from drunk driving, or something tragic has happened to a family because of illegal acts such as underage drinking or using illegal drugs, it could take offense to them by the show not showing all or some of the possible outcomes that could potentially happen to someone, bad outcomes particularly. This can be viewed in various ways, some may not think about how a television show could be offensive to someone. Some people can relate and it may upset them when they see an increase in glamorization of illegal acts and peer pressure if it means something to them.
Commented [WH10]: Good question.

Literature Review
Causes of underage drinking The Georgia Division of Public Health analyzed data from a survey which is called the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. In this survey students reported that they drink at someone elses house, and some report that alcohol is given to them. After this survey was reviewed it was apparent that further research on underage drinking behavior was needed. It was decided to be helped by enforcing the legal age limit of twenty-one and also keeping limits on certain days and times that you can purchase alcohol. Center for Disease Control (2009)

Commented [WH11]: How reading the articles affected me, I didnt realize that that many people cared about underage drinking and that it was such a big problem everywhere. I feel like it is a norm that people are starting to get use to. Commented [WH12]: In each subtopic add a concluding sentence about my thoughts.

Whitney Helms Peer Pressure of Underage Drinking Assignment 2 3/18/2014

The Association of Schools of Public Health also published an article about trying to prevent and reduce underage drinking. This is all being done by a few different offices working together. This article wants people to know the extent and the consequences of alcohol use. Research is also focused on why students use alcohol differently from adults. Three articles provide information on whether marketing and advertising alcoholic beverages have an influence on adolescents or not. These journals have various answers from one another. In this journal Hastings, Anderson, Cooke, and Gordon(2005) state that there are two types of studies and one of the studies is on an econometric study. The econometric study investigations suggest that alcohol advertising has a minimal effect in comparison to other things that aggregate alcohol consumption, advertisement is not the biggest threat or factor that leads adolescents to drinking. This case is used to support that advertisi ng doesnt affect demand for alcohol. It is also insignificant when compared to the influence of the income. The second type of study was consumer studies and it was done by examining how peoples drinking knowledge, attitudes, and their behaviors varied with the different exposure to advertisements of alcohol. On the other hand, the United States Department of Health and Human Services have concerns that marketers may be unfairly exploiting adolescents, particularly the alcohol and tobacco marketers. This issue was addressed by doing research on adolescents cognitive and emotional development. It has been examined that they United States tobacco and alcohol industries try to protect these young adolescents through self-regulation only that the assumption is that adolescents are susceptible to influence by advertising. The main reason for this review
Commented [WH13]: Which paragraph is this related to? Source?

Whitney Helms Peer Pressure of Underage Drinking Assignment 2 3/18/2014

was for federal legislation to protect these young individuals from advertising and promotion from these types of products. Pechmann, Levine, Loughilin, Leslie(2005) Jernigan, Ostroff, and Ross(2005) also state how alcohol industry self-regulation is the top protection against youth exposure to advertising and marketing. Research has been done in alcohol companies that significant amounts of advertising are more likely to be exposed to youth than adults. If there were a threshold of a certain amount of advertisements of alcohol to a youth audience there would still leave a large amount of exposure to kids of alcohol marketing. This is a clear representation of an international public health crisis, it is happening everywhere. Escobar-Chaves and Anderson(2008) seem to recognize that the youth spends an increasing amount of time using electronic media. These adolescents are also engaging in unhealthy behaviors such as drinking. Many people now seem to realize there are advertisements of alcohol and tobacco use everywhere on electronic media, which may have a big influence on why adolescents are doing these sorts of bad behaviors, because these young individuals have so much exposure to the advertisements. Statistics show that on average use American youth is exposed to six to eight hours of various forms of media in which these behaviors are revealed. In comparison to the previous article Jernigan, Ostroff, and Ross(2005) also discuss how electronic media and alcohol advertising have an influence on young adolescents. The Center on Alcohol and Youth has collected data to calculate the exposure of alcohol advertising between adults and adolescents shown on television, the radio, internet, magazines, and other media sources. Emotional implications for underage drinking and peer pressure
Commented [WH14]: Strong paragraph

Whitney Helms Peer Pressure of Underage Drinking Assignment 2 3/18/2014

The National Study of Adolescent Health examines that the engagement of alcohol is involved when these young students are under elevated amounts of distress or when their academic achievement is going down. The difference between this article and others are that in these cases drinking is the predictor rather than the outcome, which is what the rest of the journals state. Crosnoe, Muller, Frank(2004) Shippee and Owens(2011) article is related to Crosnoe, Muller, and Franks because they are both showing how emotions can lead to drinking, especially for underage students. Depression is more strongly in girls and students tend to cope different ways, some turn to alcohol to solve all of their problems. Alcohol can provide divergent behavioral problems and emotional coping feelings for boys and girls.

Physical implications for underage drinking and peer pressure Updegraff, McHale, Crouter, Kupanoff(2001) explain that parents play a very critical role in their childs life by encouraging interactions with other youth for them to develop social relationships and to make friends. Sometimes these friends may turn out to be not what they look like, and may be a very bad influence on ones life, trying to engage them in bad behavior by peer pressure. It is also shown in the Crosnoe, Muller, and Frank(2004) article that kids drink or give into this peer pressure for gaining of their status, they just want to fit in.

So What?

Whitney Helms Peer Pressure of Underage Drinking Assignment 2 3/18/2014

What does it matter that kids are drinking underage, using illegal drugs, and doing so because of peer pressure? It matters because this is how people get killed, driving under the influence, or just doing harmful things under the influence. This puts innocent peoples lives in danger and this is something that is very preventative. I do not want myself to be put in endangerment by others out of control substance abuse. I care about the safety of my friends, myself, and the people that I am close to which is why I want to help prevent something like underage drinking and illegal acts. The Center for Disease Control (2009) found that young adolescents admit to getting alcohol from other people. In the United States it is a much easier access to get alcohol, while it is easier for these adolescents to get their hands on it, it makes them more tempted to do it. When you do an illegal act such as underage drinking and you get caught or something bad happens like you drive under the influence and you kill an innocent victim, then social media will find out. So many people will know what you did, and this can be a heavy burden put upon yourself. All sorts of bad things can come from doing stupid stuff like this, the cons definitely outweigh the pros in this situation. So many horrible things could be prevented if adolescents didnt do these acts that they arent supposed to. The television show Awkward does not portray the horrific outcomes that could possibly happen while participating in these illegal acts. Just as I said previously, there are so many fun things that adolescents can do and it not involve alcohol or illegal substances. The other night as I was walking to the library I saw a group of people outside of the dorms running around with water bottles with holes in the caps squirting each other and throwing water on each

Whitney Helms Peer Pressure of Underage Drinking Assignment 2 3/18/2014

other. They were very much enjoying themselves and it didnt involve alcohol or any illegal act, and it was fun. Using illegal substances is another thing that I found common not only in high school students, but at college. I dont understand the reasoning of why you want to do such stupid acts to jeopardize your future just to look cool or feel good. It crawls under my skin just to think about how peoples lives and futures are ruined just because they cant quit getting high. My cousin was a very talented athlete and he got a scholarship to wrestle at Belmont Abbey College, but he ruined it. He started hanging out with the wrong crowd, all he thought about was partying and getting high. He was caught and charged with possession of paraphernalia, but luckily got the charges dropped. This didnt scare him away, he still didnt care he just wanted to get high and flunked his way out of school. I just dont understand why someone would want throw away an opportunity like that and take advantage and seem like they could give a rats ass what their parents do for them. Even after that he got into a horrible car accident and almost lost his life, God gave him a second chance and all he still wants to do is party, smoke marijuana and drink underage.
Commented [WH15]: Concluding paragraph with what everything meant to me and my final thoughts.

References (Crosnoe, Mullerm Frank) Peer Context and the Consequences of Adolescent Drinking Social Problems, Vol. 51, No. 2 (May 2004), pp. 288-304

(Escobar-Chaves, Anderson) Media and Risky Behaviors The Future of Children, Vol. 18, No. 1, Children and Electronic Media (Spring, 2008), pp. 147-180

Whitney Helms Peer Pressure of Underage Drinking Assignment 2 3/18/2014

(Updegraff, McHale, Crouter, Kupanoff) Parents involvement in Adolescents Peer Relationships: A comparison of Mothers and Fathers R oles Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol. 63, No. 3 (Aug., 2001), pp. 655-668

(Center for Disease Control) Alcohol Use Among High School Students-Georgia 2007 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Vol. 58, No. 32 (August 21, 2009), pp. 885-890

Preventing and Reducing Underage Drinking Public Health Reports (1974-), Vol. 124, No. 1 (JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009), pp. 2-4

(Shippee, Owens) GPA, Depression, and Drinking: A Longitudinal Comparison of High School

Boys and Girls Sociological Perspectives, Vol. 54, No. 3 (Fall 2011), pp. 351-376

(Hastings, Anderson, Cooke, Gordon) Alcohol Marketing and Young Peoples Drinking: A Review of

the Research Journal of Public Health Policy, Vol. 26, No. 3 (2005), pp. 296-311

(Pechmann, Levine, Loughilin, Leslie) Impulsive and Self-Conscious: Adolescents Vulnerability to

Advertising and Promotion Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Fall, 2005), pp. 202-221

(Jernigan, Ostroff, Ross) Alcohol Advertising and Youth: A Measured Approach Journal of Public
Health Policy, Vol. 26, No. 3 (2005), pp. 312-325