Prevalence estimates and
adolescent risk behavior: Cross-cultural differences in social influence
Frederick X. Gibbons, Marie
Helweg-Larsen, Meg Gerrard
(1995) Journal of Applied
Psychology, 80, 107-121.
Prevalence estimates and
prototype perceptions related to health risk behaviors were assessed in
comparable samples of Danish and American adolescents (ages 13-15 years).
partly on the basis of observation and previous research, the assumption was
made that the American sample would report more self-enhancement tendencies
than would the Danish sample. Consistent with this assumption, which was
supported b the data. 2 hypotheses were tested: 9a) The Americans would
overestimate the prevalence of the various risk behaviors (among their peers) more
so than would the Danes and (b) those estimates would be more closely linked to
their own risk behaviors for the American sample. Results supported both
hypotheses: motivational explanations were proposed for both effects. In
addition, perceptions of the prototypes associated with particular risk
behaviors were assessed and were found to predict smoking behavior and
willingness to engage in unprotected sexual intercourse for both samples.
Implications for the study of adolescent risk behavior are discussed.