The word 'mollycoddle' literally means to treat someone very protectively. Taylor (2014) begins by stating that parents can think this will protect their teen from the dangerous influence of peer pressure, but actually, new research shows that could be the complete opposite (p.1). "A study found youngsters with emotionally controlling parents struggled to form balanced friendships and relationships through adolescence and into early adulthood" (Taylor, 2014). .
In the study of youth aged 13 to 21, the children whose parents used tactics to control them, saying such things as 'If you really cared for me, you wouldn't do things to worry me' – at age 13 had a hard time being independent and keeping close relationships with friends and partners when they were 18 and 21 years old (Taylor, 2014). The more the control, the worse they got. Parents who used guilt, withdrawing love or emotional manipulation were more likely to pressure their child to make decisions in line with their wishes instead of the child's own (2014). "Without opportunities to practice self-directed, independent decision making, teens might give in to their friends' and partners' decisions" (Taylor, 2014, p.2). .
In an opposing view, some studies and articles thought of peer pressure as harmful, or a way for adolescence to be controlled by their peers. Kim Tranell (2014) calls the act of peer pressure "friendfluence" which she defines as 'the power your friends have over the tiny and tremendous decisions you make daily' (p. 11). Tranell (2014) goes on the say that "many bad behaviors, from complaining yourself into a crummy mood to skipping meals – spread like chicken pox among groups of friendsIt's not because one person is directly pressuring the others! Most often, it's subtle (p.12). This states that peer pressure is not a direct affect by certain people, but just being around the influences being made by such people is pressuring, an interesting concept.
