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Majority and popularity effects on norm formation in adolescence
Ana da Silva Pinho1, Lucas Molleman2,3, Barbara R Braams4
1Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.f.dasilvapinho@uva.nl.
Scientific Reports
|June 19, 2021
Summary
Adolescents
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Developmental Science
Background:
- Personal norms guide adolescent behavior and social functioning.
- Peer influence is significant in adolescent risk-taking and prosocial actions.
- The impact of peers on personal norms remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how peer norms shape adolescents' personal norms.
- To understand the influence of majority and popular peers on adolescent behavior evaluations.
- To identify factors affecting norm adjustments in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Experimental design to observe the impact of peer norms.
- Manipulation of observed peer norms (majority vs. popular peer).
- Assessment of adolescents' normative evaluations of risk-taking and prosocial behaviors.
Main Results:
- Adolescents' personal norms are significantly shaped by majority and popular peer norms.
- Observing peer norms alters adolescents' evaluations of risk-taking and prosocial behaviors.
- Majority norms had a greater impact than individual popular peer norms.
Conclusions:
- Peer norms, particularly majority norms, play a crucial role in molding adolescent personal norms.
- Exposure to peer norms influences adolescents' judgments of socially desirable behaviors.
- Understanding peer norm influence can promote positive social values in adolescents.
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