The Normative-Situational Effects of Peers on Criminal Choice: Some Experimental Evidence

• In Event: Extending Rational Choice Theory: Individual Differences in Perceptions of Risks and Rewards of Offending

Abstract

When a person considers a criminal opportunity, they make cognitive and emotional judgments about the situation. Many criminal opportunities are considered while in the presence of peers, and there is an extensive literature suggesting peers have a strong effect on decision-making, particularly for young adults and juveniles. While many different theoretical mechanisms for this relationship have been proposed (e.g., definitions, imitation, opportunities provided by peers), extant research rarely is able to specify specific processes at work. We answer recent calls to experimentally isolate potential mechanisms related to peer influence. We present findings from a series of randomized experiments, embedded in several anonymous surveys of American adults (18 and over) conducted from 2016 to 2018.

Authors

• Sean Patrick Roche, Texas State University

• Mark Stafford, Texas State University

• Justin Pickett, University at Albany, SUNY