Parents and siblings are both agents of socialization to an individual. I believe siblings have a stronger influence on the deviant behaviour of teenagers than parents do. Although parents are influential in deviant behaviour, I believe it is more common for older siblings to influence their younger sibling. The article I studied about parental influence states the most influential parents are the ones who often drink. I do not believe this theory speaks for all parents. Of course a child will observe their parents behaviour if they are heavy drinkers and consider it "normal," but I believe the amount siblings influence siblings is greater.
In my opinion a parent's job is to successfully raise their child, which includes taking responsibility for setting a proper example. Older siblings have less of an emphasized job to do so, older siblings should definitely be cautious of their behaviour because younger siblings are very perceptive; but it is not their duty to protect them entirely for anything as it is a parents.
My older brother is a terrific role model, and has always looked out for my best interests. I do believe when I was in elementary school and he was in his late years of high school I observed his behaviour much differently than I do now. In elementary school I constantly wanted to know what my brother was doing, and if it included him acting deviant. Since then, now that I am in high school as he was before, I do not observe him as closely. My brother would never put me in a position of that is unsafe or harmful to me. But it is not his duty to raise me, it his his decision to behave deviant or not deviant and not his responsibility to set a perfect example for me to follow. My parents are responsible for acting in ways that I observe is correct behaviour. Deviance is a learned behaviour.
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