Under Pressure: The Role of Peer Influence on Making Risky Decisions

• In Event: Innovations in Research on Peer Processes

Abstract

Risky decision making often occurs in peer groups. While there has been research on this topic conducted in dyads, with researcher confederates, or with fictionalized e-confederates, there is a need to examine peer processes in conditions that better approximate the reality of peer influence. The current study examines the effect of in-person peer encouragement on an individual’s risky decision making. Experimental and observational data were collected among 30 young adults, aged 18-26 participating in a small-scale pilot study. Participants played the Yellow Light Game in individual and group conditions. There were eight small groups, some played in the group condition first, others initially played individually. All participants were surveyed about personal attitudes toward risk and sociometric nominations after completing both conditions. The participants were filmed and audio-recorded during the group condition. Their recorded verbal and nonverbal encouragements have been coded following conventional categorizations from communication research and have been adapted to the current scenario. The findings indicate that the respondents were influenced in their decision making in the video game by their peers’ verbal and nonverbal encouragements. Future studies should replicate this methodology on a larger sample to further examine the underlying mechanisms in peer processes.

Authors

• Alysha M. Gagnon, SUNY University at Albany

• Evelien Hoeben, SUNY University at Albany

• Theodore Wilson, University at Albany, SUNY