Why adolescents conform to high‐status peers: Associations among conformity, identity alignment, and self‐esteem

Abstract

AbstractThis study examined whether conformity to high‐ but not low‐status e‐confederates was associated with increases in identification with popular peers and subsequent increases in self‐esteem. A sample of 250 adolescents (55.1% male; Mage = 12.70 years; 40.3% White, 28.2% Black, 23.4% Hispanic/Latino, and 7.7% multiracial/other) participated in a well‐established experimental chat room paradigm where they were exposed to norms communicated by high‐ and low‐status e‐confederates. Results revealed that for boys in the high‐status condition only, but not girls, the positive relation between conformity and self‐esteem was mediated by greater response alignment with popular peers. These findings bolster prior research by suggesting that conformity to popular peers may be partly motivated by drives for self‐esteem and alignment with a valued reference group.