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Conformity to peer pressure in preschool children
Daniel B M Haun1, Michael Tomasello
1Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Portsmouth, Leipzig, Germany. haun@eva.mpg.de
Child Development
|October 26, 2011
Summary
Preschool children conform to peer pressure, even when aware of errors. They alter public responses but not private judgments, showing early sensitivity to social influence.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Peer influence is well-documented in adults and adolescents.
- Understanding its emergence in early childhood is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate peer pressure effects in preschool-aged children.
- To determine if children conform their judgments or only their public expressions.
Main Methods:
- 24 groups of 4 children (ages 4;2–4;9) participated.
- Children made judgments after observing unanimous, erroneous peer judgments.
- A follow-up study used 18 groups (ages 4;0–4;6).
Main Results:
- Children frequently conformed their public judgments to erroneous peer consensus.
- Follow-up revealed children maintained their "real" judgment privately.
- Conformity was limited to the public expression of their opinion.
Conclusions:
- Preschool children exhibit sensitivity to peer pressure.
- Peers function as a primary social reference group from an early age.
- This indicates early development of social conformity behaviors.
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