Abstract
Adolescents' implicit scripts for situations in which peer pressure to engage in misconduct is experienced were examined to determine whether expectations varied as a function of sex, community (urban, primarily black; urban, primarily Hispanic; suburban, primarily white), and learning status (learning disabled; nondisabled). One hundred ninety-eight high school students were interviewed about six situations in which one teen-ager asks another to participate in misconduct. The students were questioned about how the requests would be stated, what would ensue if the requests were accepted or refused, and what would be likely to motivate the decisions to accept or refuse. Sex, community, and learning status differences were found, particularly in anticipated consequences of refusing the request. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berndt, T. J. (1979). Developmental changes in conformity to peers and parents.Dev. Psychol. 15: 608–616.
Brown, B. B. Clasen, D. R., and Eicher, S. A. (1986). Perceptions of peer pressure, peer conformity dispositions, and self-reported behavior among adolescents.Dev. Psychol. 22: 521–530.
Brown, B. B., Lohr, M. J., and McGlenahan, E. L. (1986). Early adolescents' perceptions of peer pressure.J. Early Adoles. 6: 139–154.
Bruininks, V. L. (1978). Peer status and personality of learning disabled and nondisabled students.J. Learning Disabil. 11: 29–34.
Bryan, T. H. (1974). Peer popularity of learning disabled children.J. Learning Disabil. 7: 621–625.
Bryan, T., Werner, M., and Pearl, R. (1982). Learning disabled students' conformity responses to prosocial and antisocial situations.Learning Disabil. Quart. 5: 344–352.
Clasen, D. R., & Brown, B. B. (1985). The multidimentionality of peer pressure in adolescence.J. Youth Adoles. 14: 451–468.
Coleman, J. C. (1980). Friendship and the peer group in adolescence. In Adelson, J. (ed.),Handbook of Adolescent Psychology, Wiley, New York, pp. 408–431.
Dickstein, E. B., and Warren, D. R. (1980). Role taking deficits in learning disabled children.J. Learning Disabil. 13: 378–382.
Dodge, K. A. (1980). Social cognition and children's aggressive behavior.Child Dev. 51: 162–170.
Dodge, K. A., and Frame, C. L. (1982). Social cognitive biases and deficits in aggressive boys.Child Dev. 53: 629–635.
Douvan, E., and Adelson, J. (1966).The Adolescent Experience, Wiley, New York.
Ford, M. E. (1982). Social cognition and social competence in adolescence.Dev. Psychol. 18: 323–340.
Gold, M., and Petronio, R. J. (1980). Delinquent behavior in adolescence In Adelson, J. (ed.),Handbook of Adolescent Psychology, Wiley, New York, pp. 495–535.
Kandel, D. B. (1986). processes of peer influences in adolescence. In Silbereisen, R. K., Eyferth, K. and Rudiner, G. (eds.),Development as Action in Context, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 203–227.
Morris, R. R. (1965). Attitudes toward delinquency by delinquents, nondelinquents, and their friends.Br. J. Criminol. 5: 249–256.
Murray, C. A. (1976). The Link Between Learning Disabilities and Juvenile Delinquency: Current Theory and Knowledge (Publication No. 244-819), U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.
Newman, P. R., and Newman, B. M. (1976). Early adolescence and its conflict: Group identity vs. alienation.Adolescence 10: 127–136.
Pearl, R., and Cosden, M. (1982). Sizing up a situation: LD children's understanding of social interactions.Learning Disabil. Quart. 5: 371–373.
Perlmutter, B. (1987). Delinquency and learning disabilities: Evidence for compensatory behaviors and adaptation.J. Youth Adoles. 16: 89–95.
Perlmutter, B., Crocker, J., Cordray, P., and Garstecki, D. (1983). Sociometric status and related personality characteristics of mainstream learning disabled adolescents.Learning Disabil. Quart. 6: 20–30.
Pickar, D. B., and Tori, C. D. (1986). The learning disabled adolescent: Eriksonian psychosocial development, self-concept, and delinquent behavior.J. Youth Adoles. 15: 429–440.
Podboy, J. W., and Mallory, W. A. (1978). The diagnosis of specific learning disabilities in a delinquent population.Fed. Probation 42: 26–33.
Sawicki, D., and Schaeffer, B. (1979). An affirmative approach to the LD/JD link.Juv. Fam. Court J. 30: 11–16.
Slaby, R. G., and Guerra, N. G. (1988). Cognitive mediators of aggression in adolescent offenders: 1. Assessment.Dev. Psychol. 24: 580–588.
Turiel, E. (1983).The Development of Social Knowledge, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.
Wong, B. Y., and Wong, R. (1980). Role-taking skills in normal achieving and learning disabled children.Learning Disab. Quart. 3: 11–18.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Preparation of this manuscript was supported in part by a research grant from the United States Department of Education to Ruth Pearl and Tanis Bryan.
Research interests: social development, especially of learning disabled students.
Research interests: social factors in learning disabilities.
Research interests: statistical methodology and computer applications.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pearl, R., Bryan, T. & Herzog, A. Resisting or acquiescing to peer pressure to engage in misconduct: Adolescents' expectations of probable consequences. J Youth Adolescence 19, 43–55 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01539444
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01539444