Both hypotheses were partially confirmed. Males supported the actions of their friends significantly more only in level one scenarios. The factor of whether the friends were close was only significant in level one scenarios. These results shed new light on theories discovered in previous research and have many real-world applications.
The results of the current study show that the phenomenon of peer pressure is not explicitly shown in the scenarios. Despite reporting high levels of trust and closeness, friends did not support each other past level one scenarios. In the study conducted by Goel & Malik (2017), The study focused only on at-risk students. Targeting one particular demographic resulted in differences to the current study, which did not discriminate by prior deviance of the participants. Evidence of peer pressure can be considered in level one scenarios, but as they got more deviant from societal norms, a person’s personal morality seemed to outweigh their loyalty to their friend. The results of the current study also downplay the results of the study conducted by Mundt et al (2017) The influence of a peer was not as prominent in one-on-one interactions as the group setting.
The current study shows that friends, regardless of how close they are, are hesitant to support extremely deviant actions partaken by their friends. Close friends showed significantly more support in scenarios involving actions of morality, such as dishonesty and petty crimes, however once the consequence became more severe, in actions like aggravated assault and arson, they faltered. This can be supported by the study conducted by van Zalk et al (2019). With the close friend pairs developing similar personality traits and values over time, a sharp deviation from those values would leave one friend reluctant to join.
Additional Findings
An interesting finding is that the current study did not yield similar results to the study conducted by Willard & Burger (2018) regarding support. Taking the blame for a crime that a friend committed is very similar to the concept of the current study. Willard & Burger (2018) attributed the results to the backgrounds of the participants, some of whom grew up in cultures that discouraged cooperation with authority. The current study took a convenience sample from a general population, making factors like cultural upbringing unknown. More research is required to determine the similarities and differences between the two studies.
The current study did follow the results of the Willard & Burger (2018) regarding gender. Males supported their friends more than females in level one scenarios. This is due to men being more willing to associate themselves in activities that involve personal risk than females (Willard & Burger, 2018) Supporting a friend in the current study would involve personal risk to both physical health and reputation. Males also experience less shame than females. (Willard & Burger, 2018) They are not as concerned with how others will view them committing a deviant act, making it more likely that they will partake.
Study Limitations
The current study contained some limitations. The changes made to the structure and format of the data collection due to external factors beyond the control of the researchers, such as the condensing of the questionnaire and simulated results did not allow for a complete and in-depth analysis of concepts. Decreasing the levels of deviance in the scenarios from seven to three may have generalized the results to a degree that could have clouded the data. Despite these limitations, the study was still able to provide an accurate analysis of collected data.
Future Directions
The current study has provided many opportunities for future research. By targeting specific demographics, such as at-risk youth or the elderly, more specific results could be obtained. If a specific group is much less likely to support their friends, criminal investigators can use this information to find candidates to be confidential informants. Demographics more likely to support their friends may be useful in helping a person work through personal problems. With an expansion of resources, the experiment can also be moved from a hypothetical scenario to one where friends of people who committed deviant acts are examined. The scenarios provided can also be manipulated to reflect the religious, moral or legal values of specific participant groups.
The results of the current study can be translated into real world applications. It is important that the dynamic between friends is examined. It can shed light on motivations to a person’s actions and help with criminal investigations and the reliability of eyewitness testimony. With expanded resources, the current study has the potential to make large impacts across both legal and psychological fields.
The results of the current study show that the phenomenon of peer pressure is not explicitly shown in the scenarios. Despite reporting high levels of trust and closeness, friends did not support each other past level one scenarios. In the study conducted by Goel & Malik (2017), The study focused only on at-risk students. Targeting one particular demographic resulted in differences to the current study, which did not discriminate by prior deviance of the participants. Evidence of peer pressure can be considered in level one scenarios, but as they got more deviant from societal norms, a person’s personal morality seemed to outweigh their loyalty to their friend. The results of the current study also downplay the results of the study conducted by Mundt et al (2017) The influence of a peer was not as prominent in one-on-one interactions as the group setting.
The current study shows that friends, regardless of how close they are, are hesitant to support extremely deviant actions partaken by their friends. Close friends showed significantly more support in scenarios involving actions of morality, such as dishonesty and petty crimes, however once the consequence became more severe, in actions like aggravated assault and arson, they faltered. This can be supported by the study conducted by van Zalk et al (2019). With the close friend pairs developing similar personality traits and values over time, a sharp deviation from those values would leave one friend reluctant to join.