GROUP EFFECTIVENESS, COERCION, CHANGE, AND COALESCENCE AMONG DELINQUENTS COMPARED TO NONDELINQUENTS

• NCJ Number: 3278
• Author(s): H A BRYANT; D A DOBBINS
• Date Published: 1963
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): N7 ONR 35609
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINT FROM THE JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, 1963, 61, 167-177

Annotation

EXAMINATION OF PEER GROUP INFLUENCE ON INSTITUTIONALIZED DELINQUENTS COMPARED TO NONDELINQUENT BOYS MATCHED IN INTELLIGENCE AND AGE.

Abstract

THE HYPOTHESIS GENERALLY WAS SUPPORTED THAT DELINQUENTS ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO THE EFFECTS OF INTERACTION WITH THEIR PEERS, THEY COALESCE MORE AT ALL FOUR AGES, THEY SHIFT THEIR OPINIONS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE, THEY PROFIT MORE IN ACCURACY AT ALL AGE LEVELS, AND THEY ARE MORE COERCED THEIR PEERS, ACCEPTING THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS MORE PUBLICLY THAN PRIVATELY AT ALL AGE LEVELS EXAMINED. IT APPEARS THAT DELINQUENTS, EVEN MORE THAN NONDELINQUENTS, ARE LIKELY TO RESPOND TO SUGGESTION TO CHANGE, IF THE SUGGESTIONS COME FROM PEERS DURING DISCUSSION AND IF GROUP DECISIONS ARE PERMITTED. THE RESULTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE GANG TO THE DELINQUENT AND SUGGEST THAT CHANGING ATTITUDES AND REEDUCATING DELINQUENTS WILL BE FACILITATED BY JUDICIOUS USE OF THEIR OWN PEER GROUPS.