Peer group processes and adolescent health-related behavior: more than 'peer group pressure'?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Peer group processes and adolescent health-related behavior

T2 - more than 'peer group pressure'?

AU - Hopkins, Nick

PY - 1994

Y1 - 1994

N2 - This paper argues that 'peer group pressure' conveys an individualistic and hence inadequate account of the group processes involved in adolescents' adoption of health-related behaviours such as smoking and drinking. We describe traditional analyses of adolescent peer processes, illustrate how these contain a series of individualistic assumptions about peer interactions/social influence processes, and describe how these structure the analysis of adolescent health-related behaviour and health education interventions. We highlight the inadequacies of these analyses, outline an alternative and draw out its implications for health education.

AB - This paper argues that 'peer group pressure' conveys an individualistic and hence inadequate account of the group processes involved in adolescents' adoption of health-related behaviours such as smoking and drinking. We describe traditional analyses of adolescent peer processes, illustrate how these contain a series of individualistic assumptions about peer interactions/social influence processes, and describe how these structure the analysis of adolescent health-related behaviour and health education interventions. We highlight the inadequacies of these analyses, outline an alternative and draw out its implications for health education.

U2 - 10.1002/casp.2450040503

DO - 10.1002/casp.2450040503

M3 - Review article

SN - 1052-9284

VL - 4

SP - 329

EP - 345

JO - Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology

JF - Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology

IS - 5

ER -