Social Explantiom - Peer Influence

Question 1

Social learning theory

Answer 1

People learn their behaviour from role model
-people of admiration (parent, celebrity)

Via:
Attention - observe + pay attention to behaviour role model is engaging (drug use)
Retention - remember behaviour as parent use drugs a lot
Reproduction - repeat behaviour with resources currently have
Motivation - whether or no repeat action again depend on outcome of behaviour

Smith - rats more likely to self administer cocaine if with another rat that does cocaine

Question 2

Motivation

Answer 2

Why people motivated to start or continue with drug
More likely to follow role model if they are same gender, high status, older, likeable

Repeats behaviour based on vicarious (consequence) of the role model

Vicarious reinforcement: observe role model being rewarded for behaviour
Vicarious punishment: see role model punished for behaviour

Bandura - children see videos of adult being aggressive towards, some see adult being praised other see being punished
-children who saw adult being punished less likely to be aggressive towards doll

Question 3

Perceived social norm

Answer 3

Some social group may hold different belief of norm won the consumption of addictive substance

Assuming drinking a lot is cool or overestimate amount others can drink based on the group they surround themselves

Perkins + Berkowitz - survey - high proportion of student believe intoxicated only acceptable in certain situations
-but believe other thinks it’s fine anywhere
-to fit in, do what other like to fit in

Conflict with themselves

Question 4

Evaluation - Real life application

Answer 4

by knowing social norm affects whether or not individual indulge in addictive substance
-can interfere with social norm to be against addictive substance

Kramer et al - assessed a TV intervention programme to reduce problem drinking
-’Drinking Less? Do it Yourself’
-intervention group more successful in reduce problem drinking than control

Question 5

Causal relationship

Answer 5

is it a peer group with addicts cause someone to more likely be addict
-or addict more likely to build or join a peer group of addict
-or third factor (genetic predisposition from parent cause someone to be more likely to be addicted

Ennet + Bauman - non-smoker who have smoking friend more likely to smoke at follow up compare to no smoking
-also individual also change peer group based on behaviour on smoking (non-smoke to non-smoke friend, smoker to smoker friends

Question 6

Ethical issue

Answer 6

If this theory accepted
-those associated with smokers (twin) also deem as smokers
-not true, Mello et al alcohol abuse concordance rate between identical (54%), DZ (28%)
-psychological harm to be label as one, used in court = less trustworthy if have addicted peer group

Question 7

Applying explanation to Social norm marketing

Answer 7

Social norms marketing advertisement
-change perspective of student view on peer drinking habit via media
-Moore et al - leaflets + poster to show that people actually drink less than what people drink - no peer pressure

Social norms - Perkins + Berkowitz overestimate how much other drink = peer pressure to drink

Changing view = less peer pressure induced
-addiction less likely as health issue due to over drinking not developed