Running with a Bad Crowd? How the Characteristics of Peers in Friendship Networks affect Delinquent Behavior.

• In Event: New Frontiers in Developmental/Life-Course Research

Abstract

While one of the most consistent findings in research on delinquency is the strong association between peer delinquency and delinquent behavior, the mechanisms underlying this association still are not completely understood. This lack of consensus could reflect the fact that much of the research in this area assumes that all peer connections have similar effects on adolescents. It is quite possible however, that peer influence varies depending on the characteristics of friends, including their commitment to school and closeness to families, as well as their demographic characteristics. Using longitudinal social network data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study examines how these characteristics of peers in friendships networks affect delinquency. We report on the impact of social psychological characteristics of peers, as well as the effects of the age, race, social class, and gender of peers. Our findings are generally consistent with a learning theory interpretation of peer influence.

Authors

• Ken Sanchagrin, University of Iowa

• Karen Heimer, University of Iowa

• Tony Paik, University of Massachusetts, Amherst