Susceptibility to peer influence in adolescents: Associations between psychophysiology and behavior
Date
2022-09-23
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Development and Psychopathology
Abstract
The current study investigated in-the-moment links between adolescents’ autonomic nervous system activity and susceptibility to three types of peer influence (indirect, direct, continuing) on two types of behavior (antisocial, prosocial). The sample included 144 racially ethnically diverse adolescents (46% male, 53% female, 1% other; Mage = 16.02 years). We assessed susceptibility to peer influence behaviorally using the Public Goods Game (PGG) while measuring adolescents’ mean heart rate (MHR) and pre-ejection period (PEP). Three key findings emerged from bivariate dual latent change score modeling: (1) adolescents whose MHR increased more as they transitioned from playing the PGG alone (pre-influence) to playing while simply observed by peers (indirect influence) displayed more prosocial behavior; (2) adolescents whose PEP activity increased more (greater PEP activity = shorter PEP latency) as they transitioned from indirect influence to being encouraged by peers to engage in antisocial behavior (direct influence) engaged in more antisocial behavior; and (3) adolescents whose PEP activity decreased less as they transitioned from direct influence on prosocial behavior to playing the PGG alone again (continuing influence) displayed more continuing prosocial behavior (marginal effect). The discussion focuses on the role of psychophysiology in understanding adolescents’ susceptibility to peer influence.
Description
This article was originally published in Development and Psychopathology. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579422000967. © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press.
Keywords
antisocial, peer influence, prosocial, psychophysiology, susceptibility
Citation
Meehan, Zachary M., Julie A. Hubbard, Christina C. Moore, and Fanny Mlawer. “Susceptibility to Peer Influence in Adolescents: Associations between Psychophysiology and Behavior.” Development and Psychopathology, 2022, 1–13. doi:10.1017/S0954579422000967.