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Peer Effects in UK Adolescent Substance Use: Never Mind the Classmates?

Author

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  • Duncan McVicar

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne)

  • Arnold Polanski

    (School of Economics, University of East Anglia)

Abstract

This paper estimates peer influences on the alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use of a school based sample of UK 15 year olds. We present evidence of large, positive and statistically significant peer effects in all three behaviours when classmates are taken as the reference group. When friends are taken as the reference group, using self-reports of perceived friends’ substance use, we also find large, positive and statistically significant associations with own substance use. When both reference groups are considered simultaneously, the influence of classmates on own behaviour either disappears or is much reduced in magnitude, whereas the association between own and friends’ behaviours doesn’t change. The suggestion is that classmate behaviour is primarily relevant only inasmuch as it proxies for friends’ behaviour, with classmates that are not also friends having relatively little influence on adolescent substance use.

Suggested Citation

  • Duncan McVicar & Arnold Polanski, 2012. "Peer Effects in UK Adolescent Substance Use: Never Mind the Classmates?," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2012n08, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    • Handle: RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2012n08
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. John Moriarty & Duncan McVicar & Kathryn Higgins, 2012. "Peer Effects in Adolescent Cannabis Use: It's the Friends, Stupid," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2012n27, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    2. Ana Balsa & Carlos Díaz, 2018. "Social interactions in health behaviors and conditions," Documentos de Trabajo/Working Papers 1802, Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales y Economia. Universidad de Montevideo..
    3. Alfred Kechia Mukong, 2017. "Peer Networks and Tobacco Consumption in South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 85(3), pages 341-367, September.
    4. Effrosyni Adamopoulou & Ezgi Kaya, 2018. "Young Adults Living with their Parents and the Influence of Peers," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 80(3), pages 689-713, June.
    5. Polanski, Arnold & Vega-Redondo, Fernando, 2023. "Homophily and influence," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    6. Moriarty, John & McVicar, Duncan & Higgins, Kathryn, 2016. "Cross-section and panel estimates of peer effects in early adolescent cannabis use: With a little help from my ‘friends once removed’," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 37-44.
    7. Nikaj Silda, 2017. "Peer Effects and Youth Smoking in the European Global Youth Tobacco Survey," Review of Economic Perspectives, Sciendo, vol. 17(3), pages 219-238, September.
    8. Silvia Mendolia & Alfredo R Paloyo & Ian Walker, 2018. "Heterogeneous effects of high school peers on educational outcomes," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 70(3), pages 613-634.
    9. Lopez-Mayan, Cristina & Nicodemo, Catia, 2023. "“If my buddies use drugs, will I?” Peer effects on Substance Consumption Among Teenagers," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    10. Roychowdhury, Punarjit, 2019. "Peer effects in consumption in India: An instrumental variables approach using negative idiosyncratic shocks," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 122-137.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Peer effects; reference groups; smoking; alcohol; cannabis; adolescents; friends;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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