Adolescent Virtual Time Spent Socializing With Peers, Substance Use, and Delinquency

Abstract

This study tests Osgood, Wilson, O'Malley, Bachman, and Johnston's extension of the routine activity theory of individual deviant behavior by considering adolescent time spent socializing with peers in virtual settings in relation to estimates of delinquency and substance use. The growth in digital communication has significantly changed the ways that youth commonly communicate with one another, and such changes may therefore provide a specification of newly emerging situational inducements that precipitate antisocial behavior during adolescence. Using data from a school-based survey of adolescents, the analyses reveal that the amount of virtual time adolescents spend socializing with peers is positively related to the frequency of alcohol use, marijuana use, and a variety index of delinquent behavior. Less support was found for an association between virtual time spent with peers and individually separated property/violent offending behaviors. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Beyond Traditional Interaction: Exploring the functional form of the exposure-offending association across online network size

“…Finally, individuals embedded in small networks reported significantly fewer deviant acts and exposure to deviant behavior online compared to those in medium and large networks. This is consistent with the results of Meldrum and Clark (2013) who found that time spent socializing with online peers was associated with an increase in delinquent behavior.…”

“…Previous research has shown socializing online with peers and exposure to deviant behaviors are both associated with offending (McCuddy & Vogel, 2014;Meldrum & Clark, 2013;Miller & Morris, 2014). Although scholars have begun to focus attention on this relatively new form of socialization, the mechanisms through which social learning operates in online environments remain unclear.…”

“…A growing body of research is beginning to consider the contribution of online social networks to the development and well-being of adolescents and young adults, and a handful of studies have examined the role of online communication in crime causation. This body of research suggests a direct link between exposure to deviant or criminal behavior online and self-reported deviance or offending (McCuddy & Vogel, 2014;Meldrum & Clark, 2013;Miller & Morris, 2014). This relationship has been observed in both middle and high school (Meldrum & Clark, 2013) and college (McCuddy & Vogel, 2014;Miller & Morris, 2014) samples.…”

“…Indeed, research by Meldrum and Clark (2013) indicates time spent socializing with peers via virtual methods was positively associated with both delinquency and substance use. Weerman, Bernasco, Bruinsma, and Pauwels (2013) present similar findings, although their results suggest traditional (i.e., face-to-face) interaction is a much stronger predictor of offending than time spent socializing online.…”

“…As a result, the very nature of social interaction has been fundamentally altered. Similar to traditional studies of peer influence, an emerging body of literature suggests online or virtual communication also has the capacity to influence behavior (McCuddy & Vogel, 2014;Meldrum & Clark, 2013;Miller & Morris, 2014). However, online social networks are categorically different from traditional peer groups, and it is unclear how the peer influence process operates in online environments.…”