Resistance and Conformity

Resistance to peer influence, or the ability to resist making choices or adopting views under the implicit or explicit influence of your peers, is expected to undergo changes during adolescence. Two opposing developmental trajectories have emerged from the field. On the one hand, adolescents show a temporary decrease in resistance to peer influence when it comes to antisocial situations, whereas on the other hand, adolescents seem to grow more resistant to neutral peer influence. Studies that have investigated age and gender differences in self-reported resistance to peer influence will be reviewed. In addition, relationships between resistance to peer influence and neuromaturational changes, both functional and structural, will be discussed. Finally, possibilities for future strands of research are suggested to further the field of resistance to peer influence.