Adolescence at the crossroads of influences

A few (simple) tools for understanding their complexity and dynamics...

Adolescents tend to adopt behaviors similar to those of their friends, and also tend to befriend peers with similar interests and behaviors to their own.

• How do affinity groups evolve?
• What role does behavioral similarity play in the formation of friendships?
• In turn, what role do friendships play in homogenizing behaviors, whether healthy or risky?

To answer these questions, Prof. van Geert will present a computerized tool which, based on social psychology research, simulates in a user-friendly way the complexity of teenagers' social interactions and the resulting behavioral dynamics. In this way, we will be able to see how the behavioral profiles of adolescents evolve as a function of their social interactions, and how these interactions evolve as a function of the behaviors they adopt.

This event is organized by the Sport Psychology Chair of the Montpellier University Foundation, with the support of Banque Populaire du Sud and the City of Montpellier, as part of the Journées Jean Bilard.