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How do friends influence smoking uptake? Findings from qualitative interviews with identical twins
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 21:54 authored by Kim McLeodKim McLeod, White, V, Mullins, R, Davey, C, Wakefield, M, Hill, DThe smoking behavior of friends is a major risk factor for adolescent smoking uptake. To explore the social context of smoking experimentation and consolidation with a particular focus on friends, the authors interviewed both members of 14 young adult identical twin pairs who were discordant for smoking. The different smoking status of twins was connected to their different friendship groups and development of different identities. Smoking respondents gravitated to the behaviors and images of the peer group who smoked. Many nonsmokers felt strong pressure from their peers not to smoke and spoke about how the images conveyed by smoking were inconsistent with their peer group’s image. Adolescents and young adults are aware of the messages that smoking can convey to others and exploit these images to construct a social identity.
History
Publication title
The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Research and Theory on Human DevelopmentVolume
169Pagination
117-132ISSN
0022-1325Department/School
School of Social SciencesPublisher
Heldref PublicationsPlace of publication
1319 Eighteenth St Nw, Washington, USA, Dc, 20036-1802Rights statement
Copyright 2008 Taylor and FrancisRepository Status
- Restricted