Dissecting “Peer Presence” and “Decisions” to Deepen Understanding of Peer Influence on Adolescent Risky Choice
Abstract
This study evaluated the aspects of complex decisions influenced by peers, and components of peer involvement influential to adolescents’ risky decisions. Participants (N = 140) aged 13–25 completed the Columbia Card Task (CCT), a risky choice task, isolating deliberation‐reliant and affect‐reliant decisions while alone, while a friend monitors choices, and while a friend is merely present. There is no condition in which a nonfriend peer is present. Results demonstrated the risk‐increasing peer effect occurred in the youngest participants in the cold CCT and middle‐late adolescents in the hot CCT, whereas other ages and contexts showed a risk‐decreasing peer effect. Mere presence was not sufficient to influence risky behavior. These boundaries in age, decision, and peer involvement constrain prevailing models of adolescent peer influence.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Apr 27, 2018
- Source ID
- 10.1111/cdev.13081
Entities
People
- Alea C. Skwara
- Bernd Figner
- Joseph M. Moran
- Leah H. Somerville
- Nadia Haddara
- Stephanie F. Sasse
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center
- Harvard University
- National Science Foundation
- Radboud University Nijmegen
- United States Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center