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? 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

Homophily Selection Effects Socialization Effects Youths’ Attitudes and Behaviors Peers’ Attitudes and Behaviors Why are youths’ and peers’ behaviors similar?

Avenues to Use Peer Influence for Good, Not Evil Who are the sources of peer influence? How does peer influence work?

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?

How does peer influence work? Overt/Explicit Peer Pressure Social Mimicry/Response Evocation Deviancy Training Social Norms/Identity Enhancement Theories

How does peer influence work? Overt/Explicit Peer Pressure Social Mimicry/Response Evocation Deviancy Training Social Norms/Identity Enhancement Theories

Peers’ Attitudes and Behaviors Youths’ Attitudes and Behaviors Identity-Based Theories Youths’ Perceptions of their Peers’ Attitudes and Behaviors Intervention Target

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

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

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)

Sexual Intercourse

Cigarette Use

Exercise

Studying Likert scale

How does peer influence work? Overt/Explicit Peer Pressure Social mimicry/response evocation Deviancy Training Social Norms/Identity Enhancement Theories Anti-conformity!

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 more c. Tell him you don’t feel doing that today d. Say “No thanks” e. Say, “I don’t smoke pot” f. Tell the brother, “You know you really shouldn’t smoke that stuff” ABA Best 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 friends Playing/watching sports Best Friends: Hobbies: Person 1Person 2Person 3You *(DV)

Participants’ Popularity Moderates Conformity Effect Prosocial Deviant

Participants’ Popularity Moderates Conformity Effect Prosocial Deviant

Conclusion More research on prosocial influences Manage messaging that informs social norms re/adaptive behavior Further study of anti-conformity