Susceptible to Social Influence: Risky “Driving” in Response to Peer Pressure1

TLDR

In two studies, confederate passengers used verbal persuasion to socially influence college students’ driving behavior in a simulation, either encouraging risk or safety. Participants encouraged to drive riskily experienced more accidents and higher speeds, while those encouraged to drive safely took fewer risks, demonstrating that peer influence markedly affects driving risk.

Abstract

In 2 studies, college students were socially influenced to be risky or not in a driving simulation. In both studies, confederate peers posing as passengers used verbal persuasion to affect driving behavior. In Study 1, participants encouraged to drive riskily had more accidents and drove faster than those encouraged to drive slowly or not encouraged at all. In Study 2, participants were influenced normatively or informationally to drive safely or riskily. As in Study 1, influence to drive riskily increased risk taking. Additionally, informational influence to drive safely resulted in the least risk taking. Together, the studies highlight the substantial influence of peers in a risk-related situation; in real life, peer influence to be risky could contribute to automobile accidents.