Group Influences on Individual Aggression and Prosociality: Early Adolescents Who Change Peer Affiliations

Abstract

The present study addresses the influence that group norms exert on individual aggressive and prosocial behavior. The study hypothesis is that for early adolescents who change their peer group affiliations, the characteristics of the group they are leaving (departing-group influence) are not as influential as those of the group that they are joining (attracting-group influence). From a larger sample of fifth and sixth graders who were followed over a one-year period, 198 early adolescents were identified as those who changed peer group affiliations. Peer nominations on aggression, prosociality, social preference and popularity, and social network information were collected. Results confirmed that there were significant attracting-but not departing-group influences on aggression and prosociality. Expected associations between aggression, prosocial behavior, and social status were confirmed. The discussion is framed around a social-ecological perspective that emphasizes the short-term adaptive nature of aggressive behavior in some peer groups and the need for considering social mobility when assessing group influence on individual behavior.

Diseño y Validación de la Escala de Creencias Normativas Sobre la Prosocialidad en Adolescentes Chilenos

“…Esta influencia depende, entre otras cosas, de valores socialmente promovidos a través de la crianza: las actitudes parentales frente a cómo impartir la disciplina tiene un efecto directo en niños y adolescentes en la introyección del control, la regulación de las emociones y la autoconfianza para emitir juicios acerca de las conductas sociales (Carlo, Knight, McGinley & Hayes, 2011). Sin embargo, el despliegue de estas conductas también se ve influido por factores contextuales, como la sala de clases (Chang, 2004) y el grupo de pares de referencia (Berger & Rodkin, 2012;Chung-Hall & Chen, 2010;Ellis & Zarbatany, 2007). La prosocialidad ha demostrado estar influenciada por factores idiosincráticos, al ser investigada en poblaciones latinas y asiáticas, por ejemplo.…”

“…Así, tanto la agresividad como la prosocialidad podrían cumplir la función de ayudar a alcanzar posiciones de estatus social dentro de un grupo determinado, como también de favorecer sentimientos de pertenencia y aceptación por parte del grupo de pares, siendo estas metas centrales durante el período de la adolescencia (Ojanen, Grönroos & Salmivalli, 2005). En otras palabras, en la medida en que determinadas conductas sean validadas y reforzadas en un contexto de pares específico, desplegarlas permitiría al individuo cumplir con estas metas dentro de dicho contexto (Berger & Rodkin, 2012;Ellis & Zarbatany, 2007;Jonkmann, Trautwein & Lüdtke, 2009;Potocnjak, Berger & Tomicic, 2011). Desde esta perspectiva, para comprender las conductas observables se hace necesario considerar los procesos interpersonales y culturales que favorecen la presencia de estas.…”

What is popular? Distinguishing bullying and aggression as status correlates within specific peer normative contexts

“…Also, bullying and aggression are associated with social status (Cillessen & Mayeux, 2004;Rodkin & Berger, 2008). From this evidence it has been proposed that aggressive behaviors might be functional to achieve social status within the peer context (Berger & Rodkin, 2012;Ellis & Zarbatany, 2007). This evidence, along with the blurry boundaries between bullying and aggression (Cornell & Bandyopadhyay, 2010) has led to assuming that both are affected equally by the peer context.…”

“…Adolescents are more likely to display aggression and bullying in peer contexts that ascribe higher social value to these behaviors (Berger & Rodkin, 2012;Ellis & Zarbatany, 2007;Sijtsema et al 2009). Adolescents are influenced by peers when they engage in behaviors that (a) are associated with high status, (b) match the social norms of a valued or desired group, (c) are reinforced by peers, and (d) contribute to a favorable selfidentity (Brechwald & Prinstein, 2011).…”

“…Several studies have shown that bullying and aggressive behaviors are influenced by the value that the peer context ascribes to them (Dijkstra & Gest 2015;Faris & Felmlee, 2011), thus affecting the likelihood of individuals to engage in these behaviors in order to conform to their group expectation (Berger & Rodkin, 2012). Also, bullying and aggression are associated with social status (Cillessen & Mayeux, 2004;Rodkin & Berger, 2008).…”