Adolescents, and children to a lesser extent, are status conscious (Steinberg & Morris 2000). Thus, the status assigned to a behavior in some contexts can influence young people to engage in that behavior. Peers are central to this process. According to a classic study by Coleman (1961), youth cultures can emphasize athletics over academics and glorify antisocial behaviors as a way of opposing adult society. This phenomenon is critical for understanding adolescent health behavior today. For example, in many schools, drinking is associated with popularity (Crosnoe 2006, Crosnoe et al. 2004). In such schools, the benefits of abstaining from drinking (e.g., better grades) seen in the general adolescent population are either reduced or reversed. Basically, the risks to social integration posed by not drinking in these schools counter the risks of drinking. Social risks on the school level can also amplify negative influences and blunt positive influences in the friendship group (Cleveland & Wiebe 2003, Crosnoe et al. 2004). Work by Allen and associates (2005) adds another twist to this pattern, suggesting that, in many schools, popular adolescents must engage
