Reputation management of adolescents in relation to antisocial behavior

J Genet Psychol. 2011 Oct-Dec;172(4):440-6. doi: 10.1080/00221325.2010.549156.

Abstract

Recent studies have emphasized the need to consider psychosocial and motivational variables in the study of antisocial behavior in adolescents. Thus, several studies have highlighted the importance of reputation management as a possible explanatory factor. This process of reputation management enables young people to form an image of themselves that they may use in their social interactions. In this study the authors carried out an investigation with data from a sample of 493 adolescents and analyzed (a) the relationships between adolescent reputation management and antisocial behavior and (b) the role of gender in this relationship. The results revealed that a perceived social identity as nonconforming was the best predictor of adolescent antisocial behavior, especially for girls, The data support previous findings on the importance of considering the establishment and management of reputation in the analysis of adolescent antisocial behavior.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology*
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Male
  • Sex Factors
  • Social Behavior*
  • Social Conformity*
  • Social Identification
  • Social Perception*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult