I firmly believe that with proper guidance and the right social setting, youth in particular are less prone to risk behaviour than those who have been exposed to the wrong social setting. Supposedly changes in education, employment, housing, family relationships and increased pressure to be a consumer has apparently had an impact on youth negatively. Apparently youth are more inclined to take risks that involve smoking, illicit drug usage, and the abuse of alcohol. Although this may be partially true, I am not in complete accordance with these statements (France, 2010, pg.318). Does lack of education always mean a life of negativity or risky behaviour? Absolutely not, it is likely but it does not always lead down these paths. Pyschodynamic theories state that only objective science can determine and document why youth take risks and are involved in this behaviour (France, 2010, pg.318). I find a problem with this because these are only based off of documentation that has been reported while there is a large number of unreported cases that do not involve risk. Although I do with agree with claims that youth are naturally looking for pleasure, excitement and enjoyment in life at an early age (France, 2010, pg.320), I highly believe that it can stem from different areas as opposed to risky behaviour. If one finds excitement or pleasure in partaking in an extracurricular activity is this considered risky behaviour? Despite my own biases I do want to call upon personal experience to shed some light on the opposite end of the spectrum. When I first entered high school, it was not common for individuals to smoke both cigarettes or marijuana at such an early age. When social groups formed and the need to conform or fit in began to take shape. There were more students smoking, doing drugs and abusing alcohol than the ones that started in grade 9 due to social groups. This next excerpt solidifies these claims wonderfully;
“Jessor, for example, develops a theory of ‘psychological risk’. He suggests that the desire to engage in problem be- haviours, such as drinking, drug use and unprotected sex is greatly inuenced by biographical and social-psychological variables. These can be inuenced by personality, beliefs and behaviours that are approved by others (Jessor, 1984). Such an argument draws upon evidence that supports the existence of organized patterns of risk-taking. These ‘structures of behaviours’ reect on the ado- lescent’s way of being in the world and of the social organization of opportuni- ties to learn risk-taking behaviours together (Jessor, 1991, p. 9) risk-taking then is seen as having two dimensions.”
This is one statement or viewpoint that I definitely agree with fully due to the fact that I have seen this happen in front of my eyes over the course of the four years that I was in high school. It is important to note however that although social settings have a large impact on youth and their behaviour it is not always guaranteed that it will cause risk behaviour. To utilize myself as an example, I have never touched drugs EVER although I had friends who used to do drugs recreationally and take part in risk behaviour. It has much to do with strong sense of self and furthermore, having the proper guidance.
“Risk and risk-taking, therefore, has to be recognized as a negotiated process which is a product of social interactions.” (France, 2010, pg. 325) This also seems to be true because many groups of youth often evaluate the pros and cons of risk behaviour. For example, the initial decision to smoke a cigarette, although some are impulsive others will weigh the pros and cons of it before engaging in the behaviour. It is for this very reason that the limits of risk behaviour are not clear and although I disagree with the fact that many youth with certain backgrounds can engage in certain behaviours, I do agree that peer groups and social aspects have a huge impact on the risk decisions of youth.
A Journey into Adolescent Exploration-EDFE1101 
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