Citation

Morrongiello BA, McArthur BA, Kane A, Fleury R. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2013; 38(7): 744-755.

Affiliation

Psychology Department, University of Guelph.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jst019

PMID

23629147

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The current research examined the impact of peer social norms on the physical risk-taking decisions of elementary-school children. METHOD: Children 6-12 years of age completed a novel video-viewing decision task in which they observed risk and non-risk child behaviors on a playground and, after each behavior, indicated their willingness to model each of the behaviors in their own video, both before and after exposure to peer-communicated social norms (encouragement, discouragement). RESULTS: Exposure to peer social norms resulted in significant changes in risk taking, with changes predicted from ratings of perceived social norms and appraisals of injury vulnerability and severity. CONCLUSION: Exposure to peer social norms can provide another means by which injury prevention programs can aim to reduce injury-risk behaviors among school-age children.

Language: en