Investigated the extent to which alcoholic beverages are consumed by high school teenagers (N=622) in rural communities of middle Tennessee. Results showed that about 63 percent of the subjects do drink alcoholic beverages, and that most of the drinking is done in the company of friends. (LLL)

Presents data from a longitudinal study, based on a sample of 632 Aberdeen school children (ages 11-16), on the development of peer and parental influences during adolescence. Reports that parental influence substantially diminished, but it was not replaced by peer influence: deference to parents remained strong over time. (KH)

Surveyed fraternity members from 41 colleges to examine drinking patterns among college students. Results showed 90 percent of college students reported drinking at social gatherings. Beer was the most popular beverage and grain alcohol the least popular. (JAC)

Reviews several key variables associated with problem behavior in general and drug abuse in particular. Proposes a theoretical approach both to the development of problem behavior and to ways of preventing it. Provides a conceptual rationale for the importance of peer-oriented prevention programs. (CMG)

A common practice in the fields of education, mental health, and juvenile justice is to segregate problem youths in groups with deviant peers. Assignments of this sort, which concentrate deviant youths, may facilitate deviant peer influence and lead to perverse outcomes. This possibility adds to the list of arguments in support of "mainstreaming"…

Empirical analysis of peer effects on student achievement has been open to question because of the difficulties of separating peer effects from other confounding influences. While most econometric attention has been directed at issues of simultaneous determination of peer interactions, this paper argues that issues of omitted and mismeasured…

Of the factors examined, only grade level was significant, with conformity to peer pressure highest in the second and third grades. (DP)

The relative influence of parents, peers, and teachers on third, fourth, and fifth graders' voting behavior was investigated. Children were interviewed about their voting preferences and perceptions of significant others' voting preferences. Mothers and fathers held the most influence over their children. Implications for political socialization…

Investigates, in a group of 48 children ages three to five years of age who were judged either high- or low-exploratory, the effects of (1) the presence of other children high and low in their predisposition to explore and (2) different types of novel objects. (MP)

Examined adolescents' current use of substances and their interactions with peers and significant adults. Users of various substances associated with other individuals who used the same substances. Adolescent drug users do not appear to form subcultures delineated from nonuser subcultures along interaction dimensions other than that of drug use.…

Studied the relative effects of parents and peers on gender identity of male and female adolescents. Found that (1) patterns of peer and parent influence differ for males and females; and (2) the peer group is more influential on gender identity during adolescence, while parental influences are stronger during childhood. (Author/GC)

This article briefly discusses some important elements of group effectiveness, then outlines characteristics of groupthink, provides examples of situations in which it occurs, and recommends actions in each case for preventing or lessening it. (Author/CT)

A five-year longitudinal study was conducted on 11 beginning secondary teachers to investigate their reference group socialization. The study attempted to generate a grounded theory of ways in which teachers adapt the teacher role to meet their own personal needs. (JN)

Describes a study undertaken to determine the influence of parents, teachers, peers, and other groups on the secular values of adolescents on England. Findings indicated that neither a youth culture nor a class culture model of adolescent value orientation was prevalent. Further, religious and social class factors appeared to be more influential…

Analyzed data from a national probability sample of 15 through 19-year-old women to determine the influence of parents and peers on premarital sexual behavior, contraceptive use, and premarital pregnancy. Results show women with views resembling those of parents have low levels of premarital experience. (Author)