Final answer:
The statement that peer pressure habits often spread through strong ties is true. Strong ties, such as close friendships, increase engagement and risk taking in activities like high-risk activism and reduce collective action problems in small groups.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question regarding whether habits of peer pressure often spread through strong ties can be answered as true, based on sociological research. Sociologists have noted that strong-tie connections, such as close friendships or highly interactive social groups, are vital in maintaining engagement and participation in high-risk activism, as seen in movements like the civil rights movement.
This suggests that people with strong social connections are more likely to stay engaged and take risks due to the support and pressure from their peers.
Additionally, collective action problems are indeed less severe in small groups where strong ties are more pronounced because of easier monitoring of individual behavior, stronger peer pressure, and the difficulty for individuals to free ride without being noticed.
Moreover, social media, traditionally considered a weak-tie network, can create stronger ties when individuals with prior online interactions meet in person, potentially increasing their influence and pressure on each other.
Examples of Peer Pressure Influences
- The civil rights movement, where activists remained committed due to strong-tie relationships
- Small groups where peer pressure and individual monitoring are more intense
- Social media platforms evolving from weak-tie networks to strong-tie networks upon personal interaction