Effects of Peer Influences and Life-History Strategy on Chinese Junior High School Students’ Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviors

Abstract

Peer influence and life-history strategy have been shown in previous research as facilitators of adolescents' social conduct. The current research uses the data from a two-wave, nationally representative survey of Chinese junior high school students to examine how different aspects of peer influence and life-history strategy in Grade 7 might contribute to prosocial and antisocial behaviors in Grade 8. We also considered differences between local and migrant students. The results showed that friend prestige predicted more prosocial behaviors and less antisocial behaviors, whereas friend deviancy predicted less prosocial behaviors and more antisocial behaviors. Moreover, the facilitating effect of friend deviancy on antisocial behaviors was amplified in migrant students more than for local students. Slow life-history strategy predicted more prosocial behaviors and, especially for migrant students, less antisocial behaviors. These findings indicate adolescents' migrant backgrounds deserve extra attention when investigating peer influence and life-history strategy as distinct contributors to adolescents' social conduct.

The influence of students’ sense of social connectedness on prosocial behavior in higher education institutions in Guangxi, China: A perspective of perceived teachers’ character teaching behavior and social support

“…First, consistent with previous research ( Zhu et al, 2020 ), this study found that SSC significantly and positively predicted PB among senior students in Guangxi, China. That is, the higher the level of social connectedness, the more likely it is that PB will occur and produce more PB.…”

Youth, prosociality, and child welfare: an investigation of positive peer influence and youth prosocial behavior in group home care

“…Many children/youth do not become delinquents because they develop prosocial beliefs and values through association with and attachment to institutions, people or friends/peers who have prosocial characteristics and tendencies and, therefore, teach them prosocial behaviors. It is argued that behaviorally challenged youth either lack positive/prosocial bonds or they get bonded with antisocial activities and deviant peers that influence them to become delinquents and or to act antisocially (Catalano & Hawkins, 1996; Zhu et al, 2020).…”

Different adverse childhood experiences and adolescents' altruism: The mediating role of life history strategy

“…Conversely, the slow life history strategy reflects the tendency to invest in long-term gains and risk aversion and could strengthen altruism (Wang et al, 2021). Several studies have shown that individuals who take a slow life history strategy usually pay more attention to their long-term development, comply with social norms, and gradually perform more altruism (Gilbert & Basran, 2019;Zhu et al, 2018Zhu et al, , 2020. In recent years, life history theory has been used in developmental psychology research and expanded to explain the formation of several behavioral and psychological traits (Ellis et al, 2009).…”

“…The fast life history strategy emphasizes allocating resources to the present, such as early reproductive maturity, risk‐taking, and maximizing immediate rewards (Figueredo et al, 2018), while the slow life history strategy highlights allocating resources to the future, such as higher parental investment in a relatively small number of offspring and delay of gratification which is a relatively long‐term focus in behavioral strategies (Chen & Chang, 2016; Ellis et al, 2009). The fast life history strategy reflects the tendency of risk‐taking and to focus on immediate gratification rather than long‐term gains; it may impair altruistic attitudes and behaviors (Chen & Chang, 2012; Figueredo & Rushton, 2009; Sherman et al, 2013; Zhu et al, 2020). Conversely, the slow life history strategy reflects the tendency to invest in long‐term gains and risk aversion and could strengthen altruism (Wang et al, 2021).…”