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Peer Networks and the Development of Illegal Political Behavior Among Adolescents
Author(s) -
Dahl Viktor,
Zalk Maarten
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of research on adolescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.342
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1532-7795
pISSN - 1050-8392
DOI - 10.1111/jora.12072
Subject(s) - politics , psychology , peer influence , social psychology , peer group , political process , developmental psychology , political science , law
This study examined to what extent peer influence explains the development of illegal political behavior controlling for peer selection, legal political peer influence, and gender effects. Late adolescents who filled out questionnaires at two annual measurements were used in a longitudinal social network approach ( N = 1006; M age = 16.62). Results showed that peers' involvement in illegal political behavior predicted adolescents' increases in illegal political behavior. Adolescents did not select other peers with similar illegal political behavior. Nevertheless, adolescents selected peers with similar legal political behavior. Findings were discussed in light of a stage process where adolescents initially chose peers with similar legal political behavior. Subsequently, peers influence adolescents on both legal and illegal political behavior.