Social influence and risk behaviour in adolescents

This monograph provides a comprehensive overview of selected topics in social dynamics in relation to the risky behaviour of adolescents. Its content, which is interdisciplinary in nature, is divided into two parts.

The first part focuses on a social-psychological approach to key aspects of the structure, dynamics and development of various social groups, and on the most common phenomena arising from the relationship between the individual and the group as a social-psychological entity. The book focuses on the analysis of the processes of conformity, adherence to group norms, and especially obedience, based on the most important experimental findings of social psychology. The authors examine, synthesise and discuss the mechanisms of social influence and group pressure in the formation of not only socially acceptable but also potentially problematic behaviour, such as various forms of risky behaviour in adolescents.

The second part of the monograph is devoted to empirical research on the influence of peer groups on the risky behaviour of adolescents in the Czech Republic. The authors investigated how significantly peer conformity influences the subjective feeling of popularity and the propensity for risky behaviour in young people. The results of the research thus allow for a deeper insight into the dynamics of peer relationships during this key developmental period and can be used to develop preventive programmes aimed at promoting the healthy development of adolescents in the Czech context.