Social Psychological 1: Peer Influences Flashcards
What is the theory of peer infulences based off of?
Bandura’s Social learning theory (SLT)
How does learning take place according to SLT?
Observing a role model , some one you identify with and admire
Vicarious (indirect) reinforcement, if a role model is reinforced in some way for their behaviour, then the individual anticipates the same outcome or rewards and is likely to repeat the behaviour
How could SLT be applied to addictive behaviours?
An individual may see their peers partaking in an addictive behaviour (e.g smoking) that they look up to (role models) and that these peers are being ‘rewarded’ through gaining a higher social status and are seen enjoying it (vicarious reinforcement)
What are social norms?
Social norms are the rules of behaviour that are considered acceptable within a particular social group
What are the two types of social norms that are used to explain alcohol consumption?
Descriptive and injunctive norms
What is a descriptive norm?
An indivduals perception of how much others engage in behaviours such as drinking or smoking
What is an injunctive norm?
They are what an individual perceives as others approval of the behaviour
How can descriptive and injunctive norms be applied to addictive behaviours?
People may overestimate the descriptive and injunctive within their social group (e.g they believe their peers are drinking more than they are and that it is more socially acceptable)
What are the 4 evaluation points for peer influences as an explanation for addiction?
Research evidence
Peer influences or selection
Research into social norms
The role of other psychosocial factors
What is the research evidence for peer influences (evaulation)
Research reviewed 40 prospective studies into the relationhip between peers and smoking and all but ONE showed a positive correlation
Explain the evaluation point of peer influence or peer selection?
It is unsure whether peer influence encourages an individual to partake in a behaviour, or if the person chooses friends who engage in the behaviour
Research has shown participants who were non-smokers at the start of the study and who had smoking friends were more likely to smoke at the follow up
Explain the evaluation point of research into social norms
Research compared a number of factors related to alcohol consumption and found that descriptive and injunctive norms were the best predictors of alcohol consumption among US college students
Explain the evaluation point of other psychosocial factors
Its too simplistic to say that peers are the only social factor that influnces the development of addictive behaviour, e.g family, media etc. SLT may just be one piece of the puzzle
