Conformity in Action: Why Our Friends Want Us to Drink?

Anyone attempting Dry January who goes out with friends who are drinking knows just how difficult it is to say ‘no’.

Not only do your friends encourage you to drink, they are often unhappy when you refuse alcohol. Interestingly, research on the negative reactions to non-drinking has been recorded in countries all over the world, including the USA, New Zealand, Japan, Africa and Finland.

The research reveals that young adults who are socially anxious and therefore concerned with what other people think are more prone to drinking when confronted by drinking friends. Furthermore, the research suggests that peer influence can be both direct and indirect. Direct influences include encouragement from friends to drink, or even someone buying you one after you’ve said ‘no’, whereas indirect influences can include vicarious reinforcement, from seeing your friends have a good time as a result of alcohol consumption.

Fortunately, psychology can also offer some tips to avoid the peer pressure, which include creating a cover story: ‘As much as I’d love to, I’m driving’, or ‘Sorry, but I’m on antibiotics, at the moment’.

AQA Specification Link: This interesting, real-world example of conformity, would create a useful application STEM for Social Psychology, in particular, explanations for conformity, or resisting social influence.

Teacher Resources

Daily Digest

To keep up-to-date with the tutor2u Psychology team, follow us on Twitter @tutor2uPsych, Facebook AQA / OCR / Edexcel / Student or subscribe to the Psychology Daily Digest and get new content delivered to your inbox!