peer influences

Question 1

what is peer influences as a risk factor for addiction?

Answer 1

• Peer influences are generally more powerful than family influences at the age of 18. O’Connell (2009) suggested three major features of drinking and peer pressure.
• An at-risk adolescents attitudes and norms about drinking are influenced by associating with peers who drink alcohol.
• Experienced peers provide more opportunity for the at-risk person to drink alcohol.
• The at-risk individual overestimates how much their experienced peers are drinking, and overdrinks to try and ‘catch up’.
• Social learning theory can also easily be applied here, especially as our peers are our role models around the age of 18.
• Look to use social learning theory if a question on peer influences comes up - it is very easily applied and evaluated.
• All of these theories can be neatly linked to normative social influence - the theory that suggests we conform and change behaviour in order to be liked and accepted.

Question 2

what are the positive evaluations for peer influences as a risk factor for addiction?

Answer 2

• One strength of peer influences as an explanation for addiction is that there is research to support it. For example, Sussman and Ames’ (2001) research has shown that peer use of drugs was one of the best predictors of future drug use by others. It was believed that peers helped create normative perceptions (or subjective norms) that such behaviours are socially acceptable. This highlight the link between peer influences and developing addictions, providing credibility for the explanation.
• One strength of peer influences as an explanation of addiction is that there are practical applications. For example, social norm interventions can be used to change the perception of what behaviours are seen as ‘cool’ or ‘normal’. For instance, Many people overestimate how much their peers are actually using substances or engaging in addictive behaviors (like excessive gaming or gambling). Social norms interventions provide accurate data about the true prevalence of these behaviors within a peer group. This means that individuals will be able to get support for reducing unhealthy behaviours and prevent hard addictions from developing fully.

Question 3

what are the negative evaluations for peer influences as a risk factor for addiction?

Answer 3

• One weakness of peer influences as an explanation of addiction is that it is age dependent. The role of peer influences relies on the age of the individual as peer networks are most influential during adolescence and early adulthood. This then fails to explain why addictions may happen in later life, when the influence of our peers diminishes. Therefore this explanation has lowered explanatory power.
• Finally, a weakness of peer influences as an explanation for addiction is that it has theoretical issues. For example, it is difficult to tell the extent to which a behaviour has been a result of peer influences, as opposed to other social factors such as media influence or family environment. This makes this factor difficult to measure, meaning that we cannot be sure that it is a lone factor in developing an addiction, therefore a more holistic approach should be taken to understand the reasons for a developing addiction.