Promoting AAA Peer Influences:
The Case of Teen Driving
B. Bradford BrownUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison
Youth-Nex Conference on “Forward thinking:Preparing Our Youth for the Coming World”
University of Virginia -- October, 2011
Let’s briefly examine:
Nature of peer influence
Case of teen driving
Strategies to promote positive peer influence
Five major truthsFive major truthsabout peer influenceabout peer influence
reciprocal / transactional
multiple sources
not necessarily intentional
cumulative
multiple forms
Studies suggest that peer influence
. . . is inevitable
. . . can be a bad thing but often is a good thing
. . . is best studied in context
The case of teen driving
We know that:
Driving accidents are a leading cause of injury and death among teens.
Accidents are most common in first months of driving.
Having teen passengers increases accident rates.
Why?
Exploring peer influenceson novice teen drivers
Step 1: Identify forms of influence.
Step 2: Develop influence measures.
Step 3: Procure teen reports on influences.
ProPro
Forms of peer influence on teen driving
Incitement
Distraction
Disruption
Encourage
safe driving
Modeling
Peer talk
Proximal
Distal
Criticizedanger
Exploratory StudySample
- 162 licensed Midwestern teens (49% female; 95% European American; Mean age = 16.9)
Measures
- Peer influence scales (proximal, distal)
- Driving behavior: - Problem driving (accidents, near-accidents, pulled over, ticket)
- Dangerous driving (a) when alone; (b) when with passengers
Procedure:
- Anonymous self-report survey.
- Influence scales filled out for self-as-passenger and
for peer passengers when self was driving.
Incitement / disruption
Distraction
Aggression (verbal or physical)
Praises and cautions
Criticisms of dangerous driving
Five influence factors
. . . and the two distal factors
Regression results Problem
Driving
Self as passenger
Negative influences .07*
Praise / caution .12
Criticize bad driving -.02
R-squared .06
Regression results Problem
Driving
Self as passenger
Negative influences -.05
Praise / caution .19
Criticize bad driving -.05
Peer passenger influence
Negative influences .14**
Praise / caution -.06
Criticize bad driving .00
R-squared .11
Regression results Problem
Driving
Self as passenger
Negative influences -.05
Praise / caution .18
Criticize bad driving -.05
Peer passenger influence
Negative influences .13*
Praise / caution -.06
Criticize bad driving -.01
Distal Influences
Modeling .01
Peer Talk .04
R-squared .11
Regression results Problem Dangerous
Driving Drive-Alone
Self as passenger
Negative influences -.05 .14*
Praise / caution .18 -.18*
Criticize bad driving -.05 -.03
Peer passenger influence
Negative influences .13*
Praise / caution -.06
Criticize bad driving -.01
Distal Influences
Modeling .01
Peer Talk .04
R-squared .11 .18
Regression results Problem Dangerous
Driving Drive-Alone
Self as passenger
Negative influences -.05 -.04
Praise / caution .18 -.06
Criticize bad driving -.05 -.10
Peer passenger influence
Negative influences .13* .20***
Praise / caution -.06 -.11
Criticize bad driving -.01 .14
Distal Influences
Modeling .01
Peer Talk .04
R-squared .11 .27
Regression results Problem Dangerous
Driving Drive-Alone
Self as passenger
Negative influences -.05 -.04
Praise / caution .18 -.09
Criticize bad driving -.05 -.09
Peer passenger influence
Negative influences .13* .16**
Praise / caution -.06 -.12
Criticize bad driving -.01 .13
Distal Influences
Modeling .01 .09
Peer Talk .04 .09
R-squared .11 .29
Regression results Problem Dangerous Dangerous
Driving Drive-Alone Peer Passengers
Self as passenger
Negative influences -.05 -.04 .15***
Praise / caution .18 -.09 -.15*
Criticize bad driving -.05 -.09 -.02
Peer passenger influence
Negative influences .13* .16**
Praise / caution -.06 -.12
Criticize bad driving -.01 .13
Distal Influences
Modeling .01 .09
Peer Talk .04 .09
R-squared .11 .29 .22
Regression results Problem Dangerous Dangerous
Driving Drive-Alone Peer Passengers
Self as passenger
Negative influences -.05 -.04 .10*
Praise / caution .18 -.09 -.12
Criticize bad driving -.05 -.09 -.07
Peer passenger influence
Negative influences .13* .16** .04
Praise / caution -.06 -.12 -.04
Criticize bad driving -.01 .13 .29**
Distal Influences
Modeling .01 .09
Peer Talk .04 .09
R-squared .11 .29 .27
Regression results Problem Dangerous Dangerous
Driving Drive-Alone Peer Passengers
Self as passenger
Negative influences -.05 -.04 .09
Praise / caution .18 -.09 -.16
Criticize bad driving -.05 -.09 -.05
Peer passenger influence
Negative influences .13* .16** -.01
Praise / caution -.06 -.12 -.04
Criticize bad driving -.01 .13 .27**
Distal Influences
Modeling .01 .09 .08
Peer Talk .04 .09 .14
R-squared .11 .29 .31
Findings suggest:
• Peer influences are correlated with problem driving
• Negative influences outweigh positive influences
• Criticizing bad driving doesn’t help
• Proximal influences are stronger than distal influences
• Peer influence on teens remains noticeable even when controlling for teen’s own influencing behavior toward peers as drivers.
What can we do?
Awareness: Understand forms and directions in which peer influence is manifest.
Affiliation Assessment
What can we do?
Awareness: Understand forms and directions in which peer influence is manifest.
Affiliation Assessment
What can we do?
Awareness: Understand forms and directions in which peer influence is manifest.
Affiliation: Join peer groups likely to maximizeconstructive and minimize destructive influences.
Assessment
What can we do?
Awareness: Understand forms and directions in which peer influence is manifest.
Affiliation: Join peer groups likely to maximizeconstructive and minimize destructive influences.
Assessment: Discern trade-offs between socialenhancement and self-destructiveness.