Which of the following best distinguishes active peer pressure from passive peer pressure in social psychology?

• A. Active peer pressure requires a large group, while passive peer pressure only happens in one-on-one situations.
• B. Active peer pressure involves direct encouragement or requests to engage in a behavior, while passive peer pressure occurs when an individual feels compelled to conform due to the mere presence or actions of others without explicit prompting.
• C. Active peer pressure only occurs in childhood, whereas passive peer pressure only occurs in adulthood.
• D. Active peer pressure is always negative, while passive peer pressure is always positive.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of peer pressure in social psychology, which refers to the influence exerted by a peer group on an individual to change their attitudes, values, or behaviors to conform to group norms.
2. Step 2: Differentiate between active and passive peer pressure. Active peer pressure involves explicit, direct attempts by peers to influence behavior, such as verbal encouragement or requests.
3. Step 3: Recognize that passive peer pressure is more subtle and indirect, occurring when an individual feels the need to conform simply because of the presence or behavior of others, without any direct communication or requests.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the answer choices by comparing them to these definitions, focusing on whether the distinction involves direct versus indirect influence rather than group size, age, or positivity/negativity of the pressure.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best distinction is that active peer pressure involves direct encouragement or requests, while passive peer pressure involves feeling compelled to conform due to others' presence or actions without explicit prompting.