Pressuring Others: Examining the Motivations Behind Deviant Instigation and the Strategies That Accompany Them

Abstract

Research on the motivations behind peer pressure and deviance has been close to non-existent. This dissertation presents a mixed methods study that was conducted exploring the motivations and strategies behind deviant instigation. In phase one of this research, semi-structured interviews (n=40) were conducted with people who have encouraged others to either steal or use alcohol or drugs in a context that was against the law. Phase two of this research tested the main motivations and strategies resulting from phase one in an online survey (n=214) with people residing in Canada and the United States alongside a wide variety of acts and other possible motivations and strategies. Although multiple motivations and strategies were used by people pressuring others, a few consistently emerged. Specifically, the most common motivations for why people encouraged others to break the law included seeking an improved experience for themselves in the moment and wanting to help the other person. The most common strategy for enacting this pressure was providing reassurance (e.g., “You’ll be fine!”). This dissertation will discuss this research in depth as well future directions and implications.