Developmental Trends in Reaction to Social Pressure from Adults Versus Peers

Abstract

The Moral Dilemmas Test was administered to Swedish boys and girls in four grades (approx. mean ages 11 to 14). Data were analysed for age trends and sex differences and compared with previously published data from 13 countries. A strong, almost linear age trend was found with decreasing conformity to adult values and increasing conformity to peer authority with increasing age. Girls conformed more to adult norms than boys, except for the highest grade. The general response level for Swedish children was of the same magnitude as in other Western countries but the reaction to adult and peer pressure differed from most other countries. Swedish children reacted very little to anticipated exposure of their answers to parents but quite substantially to the threat of peer exposure, showing a sensitiveness among Swedish children to peer norms. Boys in the highest grade showed another response pattern typical for children in 7 of the 13 countries from which data are available. The results, especially the found age trends, and their implications in cross-cultural comparisons, are discussed.