Final answer:
The presence of peers engaging in a behavior is a strong predictor of whether teens will engage in deviant behavior themselves, due to the role of peers as key agents of socialization. Despite the impact of peers, parental and adult influences are still significant. The rise of social media also extends the reach of peer influence beyond local communities to global connections.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most important factor in statistically predicting whether a teen will take up a particular deviant behavior is the presence or absence of peers who also engage in that behavior. This influence is likely because peers act as strong agents of socialization. Research suggests that while teens do value their relationships with their friends highly, this is balanced by the influence of their parents or other caring adults. In adolescence, peer groups provide significant socialization experiences outside the family context, helping teens to assert their independence and develop their own identity. Moreover, with the advent of social media, peers can not only be found locally but also virtually anywhere in the world, which can either reinforce existing beliefs or, occasionally, expose teens to new perspectives.
Although the media and other institutional agents like schools play a role in socialization, the peer group's impact is especially strong during adolescence, as it is a critical period for psychosocial changes. During this time, teens might engage in experimentation, including trying out smoking or other behaviors, as a part of identity formation with the influence of their peer group.