Interpersonal Rejection Experiences and Shame as Predictors of Susceptibility to Peer Pressure Among Korean Children

We examined the relationships among parental and peer rejection, shame, and susceptibility to peer pressure during late childhood. A sample of 610 boys and 575 girls from Korea filled out questionnaires and nominated 3 classmates to measure peer rejection. The results showed that shame is the strongest predictor of susceptibility to peer pressure, and shame provided a pathway by which interpersonal rejection was related to susceptibility to peer pressure. The findings also highlighted the moderating effect of gender with regard to susceptibility to peer pressure. The implications of the effect of interpersonal rejection relationships and shame are discussed in relation to the internal working model perspective.