Why adolescents conform to high‐status peers: Associations among conformity, identity alignment, and self‐esteem

Field, Nathan H.; Choukas‐Bradley, Sophia; Giletta, Matteo; Telzer, Eva H.; Cohen, Geoffrey L.; Prinstein, Mitchell J.

doi:10.1111/cdev.14038

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…While previous literature for openness is mixed -often finding either a negative or null relationship with mental health 16 -here we observed a consistent positive association between openness and mental health problems. A (very) tentative potential explanation for this counter-intuitive relationship could again relate to the fact that this population was in adolescence/early adulthood, which may show different associations compared to a general population; for instance, as openness is related to non-conformity 54 , and conformity to social norms is especially important in adolescence 55 , non-conformists high in openness may suffer from higher rates of social exclusions/isolation and hence worse mental health.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the longitudinal associations between individual differences and mental health in adolescence and young adulthood: Results from a UK birth cohort study

Bhardwaj,

Morgan,

Major-Smith

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Introduction: With the rising global burden of mental health issues – namely depression and anxiety – particularly among adolescents and young adults, it is crucial to investigate the factors that influence the development of these mental health outcomes over the life course. Here, we explored the associations between individual differences – personality and cognitive ability – in adolescence with mental health problems in later adolescence and young adulthood using longitudinal data from a UK birth cohort study (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children; ALSPAC). Methods: Personality was measured at age 13 using the ‘Big-5’ personality questionnaire, with cognitive ability assessed at age 15 via the Weschler abbreviated scale of intelligence. ICD-10 classifications for mild depression and generalised anxiety disorder were assessed at ages 17 and 24 via the computerised clinical interview schedule (revised). Results: In logistic regression models adjusted for a range of relevant sociodemographic and prior mental health confounders, higher extraversion and emotional stability scores were associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety, while higher openness to experience scores were associated with increased rates. Agreeableness, conscientiousness and cognitive ability had little-to-no association with mental health outcomes. Results were largely consistent at both ages 17 and 24, and when using multiple imputation to account for missing data and potential selection bias.Conclusion: By using a large-scale longitudinal cohort with a range of relevant confounders, these results provide further evidence that personality traits may potentially cause subsequent mental health outcomes and could be used to help identify high-risk individuals.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the longitudinal associations between individual differences and mental health in adolescence and young adulthood: Results from a UK birth cohort study

Bhardwaj,

Morgan,

Major-Smith

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This might still seem like it should be a clear choice from an adult perspective. Yet, once we recognize that going against the norms of popular and influential peers has significant potential to undermine a teen's school-wide reputation (Dijkstra & Gest, 2015;Field et al, 2024) and that this is balanced against the low probability of an accident in any given instance, the equation becomes more complicated. As noted above, social rejection, exclusion, and loneliness create tremendous risks for adolescents, both physical and mental.…”

Section: Do Adolescents Even Take More Risks?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Rethinking peer influence and risk taking: A strengths-based approach to adolescence in a new era

Allen

2024

Dev Psychopathol

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The ways that psychopathology manifests in adolescence have shifted dramatically over the past twenty-five years, with rates of many externalizing behaviors declining substantially while rates of anxiety and depressive disorders have skyrocketed. This paper argues that understanding these changes requires rethinking the field’s historically somewhat negative views of intense peer connections, peer influences, and adolescent risk-taking behavior. It is argued that intense peer connections are critical to development, and that peer influence and risk taking have important, often overlooked, adaptive components. The shift in observed manifestations of adolescent psychopathology over this period can be viewed at least partly in terms of a shift away from strong peer connections and toward greater risk aversion. Implications for research and intervention based on a focus on the adaptive aspects of peer influences and risk taking are discussed.

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Do Adolescents Adopt the Prosocial Behaviors of the Classmates They Like? A Social Network Analysis on Prosocial Contagion

Chávez,

Palacios,

Laninga-Wijnen

et al. 2024

J. Youth Adolescence

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While the influence of high-status peers on maladaptive behaviors is well-documented, socialization processes of prosocial behavior through high-status peers remain understudied. This study examined whether adolescents’ prosocial behavior was influenced by the prosocial behavior of the peers they liked and whether this effect was stronger when the peers they liked were also well-liked by their classmates. Three waves of data, six months apart, were collected among Chilean early adolescents who completed peer nominations and ratings at Time 1 (n = 294, Mage = 13.29, SD = 0.62; 55.1% male), Time 2 (n = 282), and Time 3 (n = 275). Longitudinal social network analyses showed that adolescents adopted the prosocial behavior of the classmates they liked - especially if these classmates were well-liked by peers in general. In addition, adolescents low in likeability were more susceptible to this influence than adolescents high in likeability. The influence resulted both in increases and – especially – decreases in prosocial behavior, depending on the level of prosociality of the liked peer. Findings suggest that likeability represents an important aspect of peer status that may be crucial for understanding the significance of peer influence with respect to prosocial behaviors during adolescence. Pre-Registration: https://osf.io/u4pxm.

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Why adolescents conform to high‐status peers: Associations among conformity, identity alignment, and self‐esteem

Cited by 6 publications

References 83 publications

Examining the longitudinal associations between individual differences and mental health in adolescence and young adulthood: Results from a UK birth cohort study

Examining the longitudinal associations between individual differences and mental health in adolescence and young adulthood: Results from a UK birth cohort study

Rethinking peer influence and risk taking: A strengths-based approach to adolescence in a new era

Do Adolescents Adopt the Prosocial Behaviors of the Classmates They Like? A Social Network Analysis on Prosocial Contagion

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