Significant-Other Influence and Aspirations

Data from a statewide probability sample of Louisiana high school seniors are used to assess causal effects of significant-other influence on aspirations. Peer influence is delineated as definer and model influence, and contrasted with parental and teacher-definer influence. The dynamics of significant-other influence are analyzed across five community-of-origin categories. Compared to other forms of significant-other influence, peer-modeling influence had the strongest effects on aspirations. The impact of peer-modeling behavior on aspirations was significantly greater in rural than in urban communities, with the opposite trend observed for parental influence.