The Effect of Positive and Negative Explicit Peer Influence on Adolescent Risky Decision-Making

Adolescents are susceptible to peer influence—in particular, “explicit peer influence” (EPI)—when making decisions. However, prior research has elicited mixed findings with respect to the exact effects of positive and negative EPI. Ensuring ecological validity regarding the present examination of different types of EPI, the Stoplight Game paradigm was revised by recording an adolescent in a simulated driving task in the presence of his or her classmate. A sample of 110 Chinese middle-school students (aged between 12 and 16 years old) was used to form 60 same-sex dyads that were randomly assigned to “negative EPI” (peer encourages driver to cross intersections as traffic light turns yellow), “positive EPI” (peer discourages such behaviors), and control (peer keeps quiet) conditions. The proportion of participants crossing intersections and the number of crashes were significantly higher in the negative EPI condition than in the control and positive EPI conditions. Latency with respect to crossing in the negative EPI condition was significantly longer than in the control group. These results suggest that negative EPI encourages adolescents to take risks, while positive EPI attenuates risky behavior. The effects of friendship status and gender were found to be insignificant. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying EPI.