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Peer referencing in adolescent decision making as a function of perceived parenting style
Dell Elaine Bednar1, Terri D Fisher
1Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University at Mansfield, 44906, USA.
Adolescence
|April 1, 2004
Summary
Authoritative parenting encourages adolescents to consult parents for moral and informational decisions. Other parenting styles lead to greater peer reliance, especially for social choices.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Adolescent Behavior
- Family Studies
Background:
- Parenting styles significantly influence adolescent development.
- Understanding decision-making processes in late adolescence is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between parenting styles and adolescent decision-making sources.
- To determine if child-rearing styles correlate with adolescents seeking advice from parents versus peers.
Main Methods:
- Survey research involving 262 college students.
- Utilized decision-making and parenting style scales.
- Correlational analysis to assess relationships.
Main Results:
- Authoritative parenting correlated with seeking parental guidance for moral/informational decisions.
- Authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful-rejecting styles correlated with peer reliance for moral/informational decisions.
- Peer reliance for social decisions was independent of parenting style; parental responsiveness was key.
Conclusions:
- Authoritative parenting fosters greater reliance on parental guidance, potentially benefiting adolescents.
- Parental responsiveness, not demandingness, is a critical factor in adolescent decision-making orientation.
- Reduced peer orientation in late adolescence may be an advantage of authoritative parenting.
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