Research on the prototype/willingness model has suggested that peer conformity may foster a positive self-concept (Gibbons, Gerrard, & Lane, 2003). According to the dual-process model, adolescents first determine the norms of relevant, or valued, peer groups (i.e., a role model) and establish which behaviors would be approved by these peers. This favorable evaluation increases the adolescent’s intention to engage in the behavior(s); by aligning with the values of an admired peer, adolescents themselves develop a heightened sense of self. Behavioral willingness to engage in a particular (even risky) behavior is based on adolescents’ perceptions that esteemed peers would likely approve.
