Mechanisms of Peer Influence: Leveraging Our Knowledge of Adolescent Socialization Processes to...

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Mechanisms of Peer Influence: Leveraging Our Knowledge of Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Youth-NEX Conference, University of Virginia

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Mechanisms of Peer Influence: Leveraging Our Knowledge of Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development. Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D. , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Youth-NEX Conference, University of Virginia. What behaviors are influenced by peers?. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Mechanisms of Peer Influence:

Leveraging Our Knowledge of Adolescent Socialization

Processes to Promote Effective Development

Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel HillYouth-NEX Conference, University of Virginia

Page 2: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

What behaviors are influenced by peers?

Externalizing Symptoms Illegal/violent behavior Aggression

Substance Use Alcohol, nicotine use Marijuana use “Hard” drugs

Sexual risk behaviors Internalizing Symptoms

Depressive symptoms Suicidality

Other Health Risk Behaviors Weight-related behaviors Nonsuicidal self injury

Prosocial and Health-Promotion Behaviors

Substantial Empirical Support

Emerging Empirical Support

New Area for Research

Page 3: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Homophily

Selection EffectsSocialization Effects

Youths’ Attitudes and

Behaviors

Peers’ Attitudes and

Behaviors

Why are youths’ and peers’ behaviors similar?

Page 4: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Avenues to Use Peer Influence for Good, Not Evil

Who are the sources of peer influence? How does peer influence work?

Page 5: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Who are the sources of peer influence?

Very best friends Friendship Groups (Cliques) Romantic Partners Popular youth Members of Similar Peer Crowds Aggregated Peers (e.g., within group

therapy, classroom placements, prison inmates)

“Peers” depicted in media

Negotiating converging/diverging messages from various sources of influence

Not Likely!

Perhaps?

Amenable to Change?

Page 6: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

How does peer influence work?

Overt/Explicit Peer Pressure Social Mimicry/Response Evocation Deviancy Training Social Norms/Identity Enhancement Theories

Page 7: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

How does peer influence work?

Overt/Explicit Peer Pressure Social Mimicry/Response Evocation Deviancy Training Social Norms/Identity Enhancement Theories

Page 8: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Peers’ Attitudes and

Behaviors

Youths’ Attitudes and

Behaviors

Identity-Based Theories

Youths’ Perceptions of their Peers’

Attitudes and Behaviors

Intervention Target

Page 9: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Biased Perceptions of Peers’ Attitudes and Behaviors

Erroneous estimations of social norms (descriptive norms) Aggressive-rejected youth Prior engagement in the health risk behavior (i.e.,

false consensus effects) Social norms interventions

Page 10: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development
Page 11: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Biased Perceptions of Peers’ Attitudes and Behaviors

Erroneous estimations of social norms (descriptive norms) Aggressive-rejected youth Prior engagement in the health risk behavior (i.e.,

false consensus effects) Social norms interventions

Erroneous estimations of social norms (injunctive norms) Pluralistic ignorance Attitudinal interventions

Page 12: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development
Page 13: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Adolescents’ Perceptions of “Typical” Peer Crowd Members’ Behavior

Out-group perceived norms(e.g., Non-Populars’ perceptions of Populars)

In-group perceived norms(e.g., Populars’ perceptions of Populars)

Actual behaviors (e.g., Populars’ report of their own actual behavior)

Page 14: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Sexual Intercourse

Page 15: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Sexual Intercourse

Page 16: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Sexual Intercourse

Page 17: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Cigarette Use

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Exercise

Page 19: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

StudyingLi

kert

scal

e

Page 20: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

How does peer influence work?

Overt/Explicit Peer Pressure Social mimicry/response evocation Deviancy Training Social Norms/Identity Enhancement Theories Anti-conformity!

Page 21: Mechanisms of Peer Influence:  Leveraging Our Knowledge of  Adolescent Socialization Processes to Promote Effective Development

Question #16. You are at a concert with your friend and your friend’s older brother. The brother offers you a marijuana cigarette. Do you:a. Smoke the ‘joint’b. Take one drag of the ‘joint’ and then no morec. Tell him you don’t feel doing that todayd. Say “No thanks”e. Say, “I don’t smoke pot”f. Tell the brother, “You know you really shouldn’t smoke that stuff”

A B ABest Friends Joe A. Bonnie L.Hobbies: Going to parties Hanging with friends

Best Friends: Scott G. Brad B.Hobbies: Playing/watching sports Going to parties

Best Friends: Patrick T. Robert P.Hobbies:Hanging with friendsPlaying/watching sports

Best Friends:

Hobbies:

Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 You

*(DV)

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Participants’ PopularityModerates Conformity Effect

Pros

ocia

l

D

evia

nt

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Participants’ PopularityModerates Conformity Effect

Pros

ocia

l

D

evia

nt

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Conclusion

More research on prosocial influences Manage messaging that informs social norms

re/adaptive behavior Further study of anti-conformity