Social: Peer Influence-

What is SLT?

Social learning theory (SLT)

A theory that emphasises the role that social factors can have on behaviour. Its social learning because you learn indirectly from the behaviour of other people.

In order for the learning to take place, the observer needs to be motivated by

two key processes.

1. Observing a role model. This is someone they identify with and admire.

2. Vicarious (indirect) reinforcement. If a role model is reinforced in some way for their behaviour then the individual anticipates similar outcomes and rewards for themselves and is likely to repeat the behaviour.

how to apply SLT to addictive behaviours- smoking

An individual might see their peers smoking. Those peers might be people they look up to (role models) and these peers are being 'rewarded' through having a higher social status, and also because they are seen to be enjoying it (vicarious reinforcement). Therefore the individual engages in the behaviour as well.

Descriptive Norms

They’re an individuals perception of how much others engage in behaviours such as drinking or smoking the norm of “everyone is doing this”

What did Perkins & Berkowitz do & find to do with descriptive norms?

They found a high proportion of students they surveyed believed that being intoxicated was only acceptable in limited circumstances. However, a high proportion believed that their peers believed it was acceptable. Therefore individuals acts in the way that they think the group are acting in particular, they see no need to reduce their consumption as they think that everyone else is doing it more than them anyway.

What is indirect peer pressure?

The influence exerted by peers through observation & implicit expectations rather than direct requests or demands. It’s subtle, unspoken influence when you feel compelled to act like your peers because you see them doing something, creating an implicit pressure to fit in.

Teenage Brain Differences?

It was found teens are more likely to act out risky behaviours if they know their friends are watching. Beh’s like speeding & running traffic lights. During these studies teens werent encouraged to perform risky behaviours but did so anyway in many cases

Evaluation- SUPPORT for peer influence

US national institute on Drug Abuse found 90% US smokers started smoking as adolescents. Attributed mainly to observing & imitating peers. Suggesting the decision to start smoking is due in part to social learning factors

Evaluation- AGAINST doesn’t explain maintenance of addiction

If peer influence was sole cause of addiction we would expect that as soon as the person no longer socialised with that peer group, the addictive behaviour would stop.

Not the case, some addictions outlasting the peer groups that first influenced them.

Evaluation- Against may be other psychosocial factors

It may be too simplistic to say that peers are the only social factor that influences the development of addictive behaviour. Kimberly Kobus (2003) suggests we need to consider larger social contexts like family and neighbourhood; .

In addition the exact mechanisms involved are unclear. Social learning theory and perceived social norms are just two explanations, and there may be other processes involved such as conformity and social identity. It is very difficult for researchers to try and disentangle these different mechanisms.