Age differences in the prosocial influence effect

TY - JOUR

T1 - Age differences in the prosocial influence effect

AU - Foulkes, Lucy Elizabeth

AU - Leung, Jovita

AU - Fuhrmann, Delia

AU - Knoll, Lisa

AU - Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

N1 - © 2018 The Authors.

PY - 2018/11/1

Y1 - 2018/11/1

N2 - Social influence occurs when an individual's thoughts or behaviours are affected by other people. There are significant age effects on susceptibility to social influence, typically a decline from childhood to adulthood. Most research has focused on negative aspects of social influence, such as peer influence on risky behaviour, particularly in adolescence. The current study investigated the impact of social influence on the reporting of prosocial behaviour (any act intended to help another person). In this study, 755 participants aged 8–59 completed a computerized task in which they rated how likely they would be to engage in a prosocial behaviour. Afterwards, they were told the average rating (in fact fictitious) that other participants had given to the same question, and then were asked to rate the same behaviour again. We found that participants' age affected the extent to which they were influenced by other people: children (8–11 years), young adolescents (12–14 years) and mid-adolescents (15–18 years) all significantly changed their ratings, while young adults (19–25 years) and adults (26–59 years) did not. Across the three youngest age groups, children showed the most susceptibility to prosocial influence, changing their reporting of prosocial behaviour the most. The study provides evidence that younger people's increased susceptibility to social influence can have positive outcomes.

AB - Social influence occurs when an individual's thoughts or behaviours are affected by other people. There are significant age effects on susceptibility to social influence, typically a decline from childhood to adulthood. Most research has focused on negative aspects of social influence, such as peer influence on risky behaviour, particularly in adolescence. The current study investigated the impact of social influence on the reporting of prosocial behaviour (any act intended to help another person). In this study, 755 participants aged 8–59 completed a computerized task in which they rated how likely they would be to engage in a prosocial behaviour. Afterwards, they were told the average rating (in fact fictitious) that other participants had given to the same question, and then were asked to rate the same behaviour again. We found that participants' age affected the extent to which they were influenced by other people: children (8–11 years), young adolescents (12–14 years) and mid-adolescents (15–18 years) all significantly changed their ratings, while young adults (19–25 years) and adults (26–59 years) did not. Across the three youngest age groups, children showed the most susceptibility to prosocial influence, changing their reporting of prosocial behaviour the most. The study provides evidence that younger people's increased susceptibility to social influence can have positive outcomes.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Age Factors

KW - Child

KW - Evaluation Studies as Topic

KW - Humans

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Peer Influence

KW - Social Behavior

KW - Task Performance and Analysis

KW - Young Adult

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045397034&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/desc.12666

DO - 10.1111/desc.12666

M3 - Article

C2 - 29658168

SN - 1363-755X

VL - 21

JO - Developmental Science

JF - Developmental Science

IS - 6

M1 - e12666

ER -