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The influence of misperceptions about social norms on substance use among school‐aged adolescents

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  • Aliaksandr Amialchuk
  • Olugbenga Ajilore
  • Kevin Egan

Abstract

Individuals often have biased perceptions about their peers' behavior. We use an economic equilibrium analysis to study the role social norms play in substance use decisions. Using a nationally representative dataset, we estimate the effect of misperception about friends' alcohol, smoking, and marijuana use on consumption of these substances by youths in grades 7–12. Overestimation of friend's substance use significantly increases adolescent's own use approximately 1 year later, and the estimated effect is robust across specifications including individual‐level fixed effects regression. The effect size is bigger for boys than for girls. The estimates for those who initially underestimated the norm suggest the possibility of a rebound/boomerang effect.

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  • Aliaksandr Amialchuk & Olugbenga Ajilore & Kevin Egan, 2019. "The influence of misperceptions about social norms on substance use among school‐aged adolescents," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 736-747, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:28:y:2019:i:6:p:736-747
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.3878
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lundborg, Petter, 2006. "Having the wrong friends? Peer effects in adolescent substance use," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 214-233, March.
    2. Ajilore, Olugbenga & Amialchuk, Aliaksandr & Egan, Keven, 2016. "Alcohol consumption by youth: Peers, parents, or prices?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 76-83.
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    7. Clark, Andrew E. & Loheac, Youenn, 2007. ""It wasn't me, it was them!" Social influence in risky behavior by adolescents," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 763-784, July.
    8. Timothy J. Halliday & Sally Kwak, 2012. "What is a peer? The role of network definitions in estimation of endogenous peer effects," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(3), pages 289-302, January.
    9. Cooter Robert D & Feldman Michal & Feldman Yuval, 2008. "The Misperception of Norms: The Psychology of Bias and the Economics of Equilibrium," Review of Law & Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 4(3), pages 889-911, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Aliaksandr Amialchuk & Onur Sapci, 2022. "The long‐term health effects of initiating smoking in adolescence: Evidence from a national longitudinal survey," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(4), pages 597-613, April.
    2. Aliaksandr Amialchuk & Mir M. Ali, 2024. "The long-term effects of marijuana use on mental health outcomes," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1127-1145, September.
    3. Aliaksandr Amialchuk & Onur Sapci, 2021. "The influence of normative misperceptions on alcohol-related problems among school-age adolescents in the U.S," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 453-472, June.
    4. Narongsak Noosorn & Civilaiz Wanaratwichit & Shamsudeen YAU & Nuansiri Kedsai, 2020. "Prevalence and Correlates of Alcohol Consumption among Hill-Tribe Adolescents below the Legal Drinking Age—A Community-based Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-14, November.
    5. Neda S. Hashemi & Mikkel Magnus Thørrisen & Jens Christoffer Skogen & Hildegunn Sagvaag & David Gimeno Ruiz de Porras & Randi Wågø Aas, 2020. "Gender Differences in the Association between Positive Drinking Attitudes and Alcohol-Related Problems. The WIRUS Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-15, August.
    6. Müller, Nathalie & Fallucchi, Francesco & Suhrcke, Marc, 2024. "Peer effects in weight-related behaviours of young people: A systematic literature review," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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