Educating peers about human sexuality and birth control in natural settings: A social comparison perspective

Abstract

Adolescents are being trained to play several important roles in educating peers about human sexuality and birth control. A social comparison perspective offers numerous advantages over a persuasive communication perspective in the design, implementation, and evaluation of such peer-education programs. In the social comparison perspective, peer educators serve as social referents, providing standards of knowledge and behavior for the contacts with respect to understanding sexuality and preventing pregnancy.