Echoing Durkheim (1897), the symbolic meaning of social ties and health habits helps to explain why they are linked. For example, studies on adolescents often point to the meaning attached to peer groups (e.g., what’s cool) when explaining the influence of peers on substance use (Bachman et al. 2002). Similarly, advertisers try to shape norms and meanings of health habits, such as smoking, to sell products (Williams & Collins 1995).
