NCJ Number
93409
Journal
Sociology Quarterly Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1984) Pages: 67-82
Date Published
1984
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Despite modest initial effects, sanction threat does not exert any long-term effects on deviance. Peer influence has the greatest effect on the deviant behavior of marijuana use, and such peers may be chosen because of their deviant conduct.
Abstract
Research on sanction threat-behavior relationships has suffered because investigations, using cross sectional data, have failed to meet methodological requirements concerning the causal order of variables and the statistical control of other relevant variables. This study used several models that met those requirements. The sample consisted of 265 high school students in a medium-sized city in the Northwest. A series of three questionnaries, administered in three consecutive Januaries, measured the subjects' level of agreements with various statements. The results obtained from the best-fitting model indicate that sanction threat does not exert any long-term effects, although there was evidence that it has modest instantaneous effects on deviance. Having marijuana-using friends has the greatest effect on use. The pattern of coefficients suggests that peers may initially be selected because of thier deviant conduct, and that once chosen, they exert independent generative influence on deviance. Three tables, figures, and 33 references are included. DAta tables are appended. (Author abstract modified)