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

Nature of 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.

Pro

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 DrivingSelf as passenger Negative influences .07* Praise / caution .12 Criticize bad driving -.02

R-squared .06

Regression results Problem DrivingSelf as passenger Negative influences -.05 Praise / caution .19 Criticize bad driving -.05Peer passenger influence Negative influences .14** Praise / caution -.06 Criticize bad driving .00

R-squared .11

Regression results Problem DrivingSelf as passenger Negative influences -.05 Praise / caution .18 Criticize bad driving -.05Peer passenger influence Negative influences .13* Praise / caution -.06 Criticize bad driving -.01Distal Influences Modeling .01 Peer Talk .04R-squared .11

Regression results Problem Dangerous Driving Drive-AloneSelf as passenger Negative influences -.05 .14* Praise / caution .18 -.18* Criticize bad driving -.05 -.03Peer passenger influence Negative influences .13* Praise / caution -.06 Criticize bad driving -.01Distal Influences Modeling .01 Peer Talk .04R-squared .11 .18

Regression results Problem Dangerous Driving Drive-AloneSelf as passenger Negative influences -.05 -.04 Praise / caution .18 -.06 Criticize bad driving -.05 -.10Peer passenger influence Negative influences .13* .20*** Praise / caution -.06 -.11 Criticize bad driving -.01 .14Distal Influences Modeling .01 Peer Talk .04R-squared .11 .27

Regression results Problem Dangerous Driving Drive-AloneSelf as passenger Negative influences -.05 -.04 Praise / caution .18 -.09 Criticize bad driving -.05 -.09Peer passenger influence Negative influences .13* .16** Praise / caution -.06 -.12 Criticize bad driving -.01 .13Distal Influences Modeling .01 .09 Peer Talk .04 .09R-squared .11 .29

Regression results Problem Dangerous Dangerous Driving Drive-Alone Peer PassengersSelf as passenger Negative influences -.05 -.04 .15*** Praise / caution .18 -.09 -.15* Criticize bad driving -.05 -.09 -.02Peer passenger influence Negative influences .13* .16** Praise / caution -.06 -.12 Criticize bad driving -.01 .13Distal Influences Modeling .01 .09 Peer Talk .04 .09R-squared .11 .29 .22

Regression results Problem Dangerous Dangerous Driving Drive-Alone Peer PassengersSelf as passenger Negative influences -.05 -.04 .10* Praise / caution .18 -.09 -.12 Criticize bad driving -.05 -.09 -.07Peer 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 .09R-squared .11 .29 .27

Regression results Problem Dangerous Dangerous Driving Drive-Alone Peer PassengersSelf as passenger Negative influences -.05 -.04 .09 Praise / caution .18 -.09 -.16 Criticize bad driving -.05 -.09 -.05Peer 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 .14R-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 Affiliation Assessment

What can we do?

Awareness 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 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.

And one final note:

Should driver educationalso involve passengereducation?

Adolescents need to understand how they influence as well as how they are influenced by peers.For more information: http://prsg.education.wisc.edu/