Adolescent Choices and Parent-Peer Cross-Pressures

The hypothesis explored held that the extent to which adolescents are peer-conforming when confronted with parent-peer cross-pressures depends upon the nature of the content alternatives presented to them; i.e., they tend to be peer-confroming in making certain kinds of choices and parent-conforming in making other kinds of choices. Adolescent girls responded to hypothetical dilemmas involving conflicting parent-peer expectations. Their choices were consistent with the hypothesis. From these results and from interview data inferences were drawn about factors predisposing adolescents toward peer-conforming or parent-conforming choices.