Peer Pressure and Internet Usage: A Study on Mizo Adolescents

Peer pressure and internet usage are two influential factors shaping adolescents’ experiences in the digital era. Peer influence, social decisions, self-image, and everyday interactions have been found to intensify online platforms.  Exploring how these variables relate is important for understanding the challenges faced by young people growing up in an increasingly connected environment. This study examined the relationship between peer pressure and internet usage among Mizo adolescents. A total of 300 samples were selected from four different higher secondary schools in Aizawl from which 150 are males, and 150 are females. The participants’ age range was 16 to 19 years (M = 17.5 years). The Peer Pressure Scale (Singh & Saini, 2010) and the Internet Usage Scale (Saini & Kaur, 2017) were used for psychological measurements. The results showed a strong positive correlation between the two variables (r = .498**, p < .01), indicating that higher internet usage is associated with greater peer pressure. Male students reported significantly higher peer pressure than females (M = 64.32 vs. 58.98; t = 3.91, p < .001), while no significant gender difference was found in internet usage (t = 0.483; p = 0.63). These findings point to the importance of creating safer online environments and fostering constructive peer influence among adolescents.