David Elkind’s theory of “Adolescent-Egocentrism”:

In order to gain a proper understanding of the causes behind the teenagers’ deviant and, sometimes, erratic behaviour, it is necessary for us to familiarize ourselves with the various theories that seek to explain adolescence and the primary changes that it results in.

David Elkind, an American Psychologist, devised the theory of Adolescent-Egocentrism (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 38). According to this theory, the period of adolescence is characterized by an “immaturity of the thinking process” (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 38), which he has attributed to “underdeveloped reasoning abilities” (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 38).

As the name of this theory suggests, the key feature of the adolescent period is “egocentrism” (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 38), which has been described as the “heightened self-awareness and self-consciousness” (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 38). As a result of this, adolescents tend to believe that others, especially individuals of their age-group, evaluate their behavior. The others, who are thought to evaluate the individual’s behaviour, are known as the “imaginary audience”, and, in reality, they are not actually concerned with the individual’s behaviour to the extent that he/she believes they are.

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“Personal Fable”, on the other hand, refers to the common tendency, among adolescents, to view themselves as unique, different, and invulnerable. It is also accepted that risky behaviours can be linked to Personal Fable, which promotes the notion that one is invulnerable and unique from others; hence, adolescents tend to believe that the consequences of pursuing risky behaviours would not as negative for them as it would have been had someone else done them.

Ego-centrism, itself, emerges due to the gradual development of Piagetian Cognitive development (Vartanian, 2000, p.639). Young children, for example, do not experience adolescent egocentrism, because they lack the ability to think in abstract terms, which theorists believe is a part of formal operational thought (Vartanian, 2000, p.639).

At the same time, it is necessary to understand that adolescents’ formal operational thought are not completely developed, and, as a result, adolescents fail to realize the similarity between their own experiences and those of their peers, and tend to view themselves as unique (Vartanian, 2000, p.639).

Allison Davis’ “Socialized Anxiety” theory, and its role in Adolescent behaviour:

According to the American Social Anthropologist, Allison Davis, the process of socialization may involve, for some individuals, anxiety and distress (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 41). This distress has been referred to as “Socialized Anxiety” (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 41), and it is considered to play a significant role in influencing our behaviour (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 41). Among adolescents, it is widely accepted that “Socialized Anxiety” plays an important role in the process of personality development as well as in allowing the individual to gradually mature (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 41).

For example, an employee might feel the need to work harder due to his anxiety about his work-performance, or, in the case of students, individuals might attend classes more regularly, in order to get better grades, which would allow them to gain entrance into prestigious colleges or universities.

Adolescents, in a similar way, learn more about others’ expectations from them, as well as about their own role and significance in the society, through increased interactions with others. This allows them to work harder and make progress in terms of maturity, which allows them to be approved of by others. It must also be remembered that adolescents tend to believe that others, especially those who belong to their own age-group, evaluate them; this leads to them working more harder, as they seek to maintain their appearances among others (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 41).

The Theories of Eduard Sprang, Leta Stetter Hollingworth, and Lewin Field:

According to Eduard Sprang, adolescence “marks the transition period from childhood to physiological, emotional, and psychological changes” (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 42). This transition, therefore, allows individuals to leave, what has been described as, “a period of crisis and volatility” (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 42), and transform into a “completely changed and transformed person” (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 42), to whom society’s values and the prevalent norms appear acceptable, unlike in the past (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 42).

Leta Stetter, however, appeared to believe that this transform is much more gradual, and that the transition period, from adolescence to adulthood, is not divided into a various phases. This view is in sharp contrast to Eduard Sprang’s view, according to which reaching adulthood was akin to a “rebirth”; this term implies that Sprang’s view involved the spontaneous physiological, psychological and emotional transformation of individuals.

Both theorists, however, appear to have believed that this transition, whether gradual or not, involved many changes (such as those that have been mentioned above), including the change of beliefs and values, which Sprang has referred to as “Dominant Value Section). Dominant Value Section consists of values and perspectives that shape an individuals life, starting from adulthood.

According to Lewin’s Field Theory of Adolescence, membership to a social group is an integral part of adolescence, as teenagers, who are unsure about their roles in the society (due to the gradual transition into adulthood), learn more from the other members of the social group, as well as evaluate their peer’s behaviour; this further reinforces peer-pressure, as well as the compulsion to act in the desired way of one’s peers (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 41). Doing so allows the individual to be approved of by others (Coeur et al., 2012, p. 41).

The “Symbolic Interaction” and the “Social Exchange” Schools of Thought:

According to “Symbolic Interaction”, an individual’s role and significance, in a society, is dependent upon their own interpretation of their own value in the society (Coeur et al., 2012, p.43). Adolescents, in a similar way, learn to develop their own separate identities, their own perspectives on issues, as well as establish their own significance in the society (Coeur et al., 2012, p.43).

According to the school of “Social Exchange”, individuals tend to weigh the potential costs of their actions, as well as its potential benefits, before pursuing a certain course of action (Coeur et al., 2012, p.43). In the case of adolescents, individuals often have to conform to the decisions of their peers (Peer-Pressure) in order to be approved of, by others (Coeur et al., 2012, p.43). This leads to poor decision-making, as the individual refrains from weighing the potential costs and the potential benefits of their actions (Coeur et al., 2012, p.43).

Works Cited

Coeur, T.D., Rawes, C., & Warecki, P. (2012). Challenge and Change: Patterns, trends, and shifts in society. McGraw-Hill Ryerson. 

Vartanian, L. R. (2000). REVISITING THE IMAGINARY AUDIENCE AND PERSONAL FABLE CONSTRUCTS OF ADOLESCENT EGOCENTRISM: A CONCEPTUAL REVIEW. Adolescence, 35(140), 639.

Peer Pressure, a common occurrence among teenagers, is the influence of peers on an individual, who tries to gain the approval of his/her close ones, especially friends, by performing certain actions. During their adolescent years, teens experience rapid hormonal changes that influence their social behaviour. They may begin to exhibit risky behaviour and carry out tasks that are generally considered to be harmful.

Teens try to understand their role and position in the society and among their peers and friends, and, to prove their worth, they perform actions that would impress others. This enables them to gain approval from society, and makes others value them. Unfortunately, teenagers are often led into performing tasks that are highly damaging for our health, such as alcohol consumption and driving carelessly, and, sometimes, the consequences are lethal.

One of the major problems, regarding the consequences of peer pressure, is that there is a prevalent notion among teenagers that “those who drink, smoke, or use drugs, typically enjoy an elevated status among their peers”. Thus, to earn this elevated status and seek acceptance from others, they do things that they normally wouldn’t, as they know that the consequences could be unpleasant.

Effects of Peer-Pressure on risky behaviours:

Substance abuse:

Teens usually start showing signs of risky behaviour when they are in their early adolescence (Blote, Miers, & Westenberg, 2016). This is when they start smoking, using drugs, and try alcohol for the first time (Blote, Miers, & Westenberg, 2016). They are encouraged by their peers, and, if they refuse, they might get excluded from the social group (Blote, Miers, & Westenberg, 2016).

Individuals, who have been diagnosed with “Social Anxiety Disorder” (SAD), are more likely to start smoking earlier, as they realise that they are not doing well socially, and they hope to “improve their social status and be a part of the peer group.”. (Blote, Miers, & Westenberg, 2016).

During an epidemiological study that involved teens and adults of ages 15-54, it was found that over 40% of the respondents, with social phobia, had a substance disorder: (31.9% for Nicotine, 19.4% for alcohol, and 7.5% for drug use) (Blote et al., 2016). However, it is not necessarily true that every individual, who has been diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder, will have a substance disorder (Blote et al., 2016). Many socially anxious people avoid going to parties due to the fear of interacting with people, and, as a result, they are not encouraged by anyone to consume alcohol (Blote et al., 2016). Thus, socially anxious people “fear that their behaviour when drinking alcohol or using drugs might result in negative evaluation by others. They therefore abstain from using it.”(Blote et al., 2016).

According to the US Surgeon general’s 2012 report on smoking among teens as well as young adults, “teens and youths whose friends or siblings smoke are far more likely to use tobacco themselves.” (“Peer Pressure”, 2012). Adolescents are also actively encouraged by those whom they consider by those whom they admire, and, as a result, they try to mimic them and their actions. (“Peer Pressure”, 2012).

Erin, a high school student from California, once caught her friends using drugs, and was eventually encouraged by them to try, what their friends called, “crank”, a slang word for methamphetamine (Kowalski, 1999). After being addicted, she had to quit to school and stay at a drug rehabilitation centre. (Kowalski, 1999).

Other Examples of risky behaviours, due to Peer-Pressure:

Nick, a young teen from Minnesota, developed a habit of hanging out with dangerous gang members as he liked and preferred their company (Kowalski, 1999). Eventually, he was stabbed by members of the other gang as he was considered to be a member of the enemy gang (Kowalski, 1999).

Erin, a high school student from California, once caught her friends using drugs, and was eventually encouraged by them to try, what their friends called, “crank”, a slang word for methamphetamine (Kowalski, 1999). After being addicted, she had to quit to school and stay at a drug rehabilitation centre. (Kowalski, 1999) After being addicted, she had to quit to school and stay at a drug rehabilitation centre (Kowalski, 1999).

A Kaiser Family Foundation research found that many adolescents, of both genders, have felt being pressured to engage in sexual activity before they wanted, or felt ready to- “about one in three males as opposed to about one in four females” (“Peer Pressure”, 2012).

Causes behind the prevalence of “Peer-Pressure”

It is widely accepted that individuals from this age group this age group does not have the capability to make rational decisions. Different regions of the brain develop at different times, and the regions that are involved in much simpler processes develop faster than the frontal cortex, which is the decision-making region. In fact, our brains do not resemble an adult brain until we reach our early 20s. The decision-making process involves a chemical, “Dopamine”, which transmits signals that make us feel happiness. Since the number of brain receptors that interact with this chemical is higher in adolescents than in adults, they are more likely to respond strongly to rewards and compliments. (“Science”, 2016, p. 18)

According to the “The science of decision making and peer pressure” (2016, p. 18), “Feeling rewards more strongly and responding more intensely to what peers may think means there are biological reasons for why teens decide to do things with their friends that they would never do on their own”. In a research experiment that was conducted by Steinberg, a group of adults and another group of teenagers were asked to play a video game in which they were required to drive a vehicle. While playing the video game, they were told that they could earn more money if they drove faster. However, driving faster could result in an accident. (“Science”, 2016, p. 18+)

It was observed that, while being with their friends and peers, teens drove faster and were taking more risks than when they were alone. While alone, they hardly took more risks than the adults who were also playing the same video game. Even though these teens were not allowed to communicate with their friends, they drove the car faster in their presence. The study concluded that “the presence of peers made the reward of earning money by driving faster feel more intense”. (“Science”, 2016, p. 18+)

Adolescents view their friends as both, a reward, as well as a source of motivation that encourages them to “seek more rewards”. For most adolescents, being around their peers makes them more sensible to compliments and rewards. According to Steinberg, one of the researchers who observed this experiment, “Real life driving scenarios are not much different. Statistics prove that, while being with a friend, adolescents drivers are 2.5 times more likely to take risks, and almost 3 times more likely to take similar risks, if there are multiple peers in the car.” (“Science”, 2016, p. 18).

According to Lauren Shaw, a licensed clinical psychologist at the Arlington center, Illinois; in order to make ourselves a part of a group, we (especially adolescents) often refrain from expressing ourselves, and do what others tell us to do, just to gain recognition as a part of the group (Deppe, 2015). Doing something dangerous, to prove one’s worth, and to be accepted by peers, is more important to us, as not meeting their expectations may lead to ostracism from a group, and we, humans, value friendship (Deppe, 2015, p. 26).

Works Cited

Blote, A. W., Miers, A. C., & Westenberg, P. M. (2016). Adolescent Social Anxiety and Substance Use: The Role of Susceptibility to Peer Pressure. Child Development Research.

Kowalski, K. M. (1999, September). How Peer Pressure Can Affect You. Current Health 2, a Weekly Reader publication, 26(1), 6.

Deppe, M. (2015). Just say no? How to handle peer pressure, pushiness, and the pull of the crowd: the peer pressure we felt as kids is long past. You’re so over it. Right?. Vibrant Life. 31.4. Pages 26+.

Peer Pressure. Gale Student Resources in Context. (2012).

The Science of Decision Making and Peer Pressure. Science World/Current Science.(2016). 72.9 Pages 18+..