The Impact of Peer Pressure on the Verbally Expressed Drug Attitudes off Male College Students

Abstract

Peer pressure was shown to have a powerful influence on the verbally expressed drug attitudes of the undergraduate male sample. Subjects exposed to a group which consistently espoused either conservative (antidrug) or liberal (pro-drug) attitudes toward the personal use of drugs were highly likely to conform to the groups' attitudinal norms (p < 0.001). Effects of natural peer groups are discussed along with recommendations for primary prevention programming and further research.