Risk Factors: Peers Flashcards
What are ethical issues in researching addiction?
Threat of sanction
This is the possibility that research may reveal something incriminating in some way e.g. people with drug addictions may reveal illegal behaviour as part of an interview
Researchers must therefore weigh up the potential benefits and risks of doing the research e.g. possibilites for intervention vs futher discrimination
Risk Factors: Peers
Description
Key Studies
Eiser et al 1991
McAlister et al 1984
Risk Factors: Peers
Description
Peer pressure is cited as a reason for why adolescents start taking drugs or smoking. Among adolscents, smokers tend to befriend smokers, and non-smokers befriend other non-smokers (Eiser et al 1991). Transitions to increased levels of smoking are linked to peers’ encouragement and approval, together with the message that smoking is an activity that promotes popularity (McAlister et al 1984). There are two theories partciularly relevant to the development of smoking
Risk Factors: Peers
What are the two theories that particularly relevant to the development of smoking?
Social learning theory
Social identity theory
Risk Factors: Peers
Social learning theory
Key Studies
Bandura 1977
Risk Factors: Peers
Social learning theory
Bandura 1997 - Behaviours are learned through the obersvation of others and subsequent modelling of this behaviour. Young people are most likely to imitate the behaviour of those with whom they have the most social contact. Once they have started smoking, experiences with the new behaviour determine whether it persists
Risk Factors: Peers
Social identity theory
Key Studies
Abrams and Hogg 1990
Risk Factors: Peers
Social identity theory
Abrams and Hogg 1990 - This assumes that group members adopt those norms and behaviours that are central to the social identity of the group to which they belong. In peer groups where status as smoker or non-smoker is central to the social identity of the group, individuals are likely to be similar to one another in their smoking habits
Risk Factors: Peers
Social learning theory evaluation
Key Studies
Duncan et al 1995
Eiser et al 1989
Risk Factors: Peers
Social learning theory evaluation
Many of the hypotheses cosistnet with the importance of social context in smoking have been supported by research. For example, research supports the claim that exposure to peer models increases the likelihood that teenagers will begin smoking (Duncan et al 1995). Likewise, there is plentiful support for the claim that percieved rewards such as social status and popularity are instrumental in why adolscents begin smoking and remain important while they continue to smoke (Eiser et al 1989)
Risk Factors: Peers
Social identity theory evaluation
Key Studies
Michell 1997
Risk Factors: Peers
Social identity theory evaluation
Although there is evidence to support the claim that adolescents are motivated to begin smoking because of the stereotypes they hold of specific social crowds (Michell 1997), little is known about the extent to which these groups influence their members to smoke. Nor do we know whether adolescents are impervious to the demands of their social group when these evidently conflict with their own concerns to maintain a healthly lifestyle
