The Impact of College Education on Rape Myth Acceptance,Alcohol Expectancies,and Bystander Attitudes

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of education on rape myth acceptance, alcohol expectancies, and bystander attitudes. A sample of 126 community members and college students who had consumed alcohol within the past 90 days were administered surveys. College experience was unrelated to rape myth acceptance, alcohol expectancies, and bystander intentions. In line with previous research, two rape myth subscales were inversely related to bystander attitudes. In regard to alcohol expectancies and bystander attitudes, only one subscale was marginally significant. Ancillary analysis indicated that rape myth acceptance varied as a function of age, with older individuals less likely to support rape myths.     

Expectancies About the Effects of Alcohol on the Self and on Others as Determinants of Alcohol Policy Attitudes1

The present study brings together 2 separate lines of research in the alcohol field: alcohol expectancies and policy attitudes. Expectancies concerning the short- and long-term effects of drinking (e.g., aggression), were predicted to be stronger determinants of support for alcohol availability control when the target person was another, compared to when discussing effects of one's own drinking. In a population-based survey conducted in 1992, 804 current drinkers were asked about self and other alcohol expectancies, as well as attitudes toward various alcohol policies. Results showed a distinct self-other discrepancy, with people more likely to expect alcohol to have a greater effect over others than over themselves. Further, it was found that these other-expectancies were among the strongest predictors of favoring tighter alcohol controls. These findings lend support to findings of a self-other bias in social psychology, and provide insight as to the structure of public opinion on alcohol policy.     

Advertising's Effects on Men's Gender Role Attitudes

We posited that media images of men influence the gender role attitudes that men express soon after exposure to the images. A total of 212 men (87% European American, 7% Asian or Asian American, 3% African American, and 3% other) viewed magazine advertisements containing images of men that varied in terms of how traditionally masculine vs. androgynous they were and whether the models were the same age or much older than the viewers. Men who had initially been less traditional espoused more traditional attitudes than any other group after exposure to traditionally masculine models, although they continued to endorse relatively nontraditional views after exposure to androgynous models. These findings suggest that nontraditional men's gender role attitudes may be rather unstable and susceptible to momentary influences such as those found in advertising.     

Alcohol Consumption, Outcome Expectancies, and Victimization Status Among Female College Students

The present study examined differences in the extent of alcohol consumption and endorsement of alcohol-related outcome expectancies between victims of alcohol- or drug-related sexual assault, victims of non-alcohol- or non-drug-related sexual assault, and nonvictim controls. The alcohol consumption patterns alcohol outcome expectancies and victimization status of 176 female college students were assessed. Results indicated that relative to nonvictims and victims of non-alcohol- or non-drug-related sexual assault, victims of alcohol- or drug-related sexual assault reported more frequent and greater alcohol consumption and a greater extent of endorsement of alcohol outcome expectancies. Furthermore. extent of alcohol consumption was associated with different alcohol expectancy outcomes for each group. Implications for the prevention of sexual assault and directions for future research are discussed.     

Beliefs About the Effects of Alcohol on Involvement in Coercive and Consenting Sexual Activities1

This study examined how an alcohol instructional set (intoxicated or sober) and gender affected subjects' b]eliefs about the negative and positive consequences of engaging in coercive and consenting sexual behaviors, as well as subjects' e]xpressed likelihood of involvement in these activities. Participants who responded to an intoxicated set believed they were more likely to be involved in coercive sexual behaviors than those who responded to sober instructions. Males with an intoxicated set also expected fewer negative and more positive consequences from coercive sex than did other participants. For consenting sexual activities, males (regardless of set) rated negative consequences lower, positive consequences higher, and expressed a stronger likelihood of involvement than did females. Efforts to prevent sexual coercion might be enhanced by including a focus on how beliefs about alcohol may affect the expected consequences and occurrence of these acts.     

Cross-Sex Best Friendship Influences on Early Adolescent Cigarette and Alcohol Expectancies and Use

In this study, the author investigates the influences of cross-sex best friends in early adolescence in regard to cigarettes and alcohol. Specific goals include determining the prevalence of cross-sex best friendships, investigating expectancies and perceived approval of the use of cigarettes and alcohol, and examining substance use levels. A group of urban sixth, seventh, and eighth graders completed a survey that addressed these issues. Results indicate the presence of cross-sex best friendships in the sample. Significant findings on cross-sex best friends' influence include positive expectancies for alcohol in sixth (p = .006) grade, the perception of seventh graders that the best friend's attitudes about smoking (p = .003) and drinking (p = .001) are less negative, and higher levels of cigarette use in sixth (p = .001) and eighth (p = .024) grade and alcohol use in sixth (p = .008), seventh (p = .002), and eighth grades (p = .039).     

Social Anxiety and Specificity of Positive Alcohol Expectancies: Preliminary Findings

This preliminary study examined the relationship between social anxiety and specificity of positive alcohol outcome expectancies (AOE) in a community sample of 62 drinking adults. The sample was divided into subsets of socially anxious (n = 17) and nonsocially anxious (n = 45) men and women. The Drinking Expectancy Questionnaire (DEQ) and Alcohol Expectancies in Social Evaluative Situations Scale (AESES) were used to determine if groups differed in the general positive AOE they hold, or only in AOE specific to social situations. ANOVAs revealed that socially anxious individuals had greater positive AOE specific to social situations (DEQ—Assertion scale and AESES) than nonsocially anxious individuals, with no differences in other positive AOE. Partial correlations controlling for social anxiety revealed that AOE specific to social situations correlated with greater drinking and alcohol dependency levels. Findings indicate that identification of AOE specific to social situations may be useful in classifying socially anxious individuals at risk for alcoholism and as a focus of expectancy challenge strategies for individuals with co-occurring social anxiety and drinking problems.     

The Differentially Discriminating Properties of Alcohol Expectancies for Female and Male Drinkers

Alcohol expectancies are the anticipated outcomes of consuming alcohol. In this study, a variety of alcohol expectancies were found to discriminate between problem- and non-problem-drinking college students. In addition, the author discovered that the expectancy profile that distinguished female problem drinkers from female nonproblem drinkers was relatively distinct from the profile that separated these types of drinkers among men. The alcohol expectancy with the strongest discriminating value among the women was “arousal and power,” whereas for the men it was “physical and social pleasure.” The author discusses the implications of these findings for counseling problem-drinking women and men.     

Influence of Positive and Negative Film Portrayals of Drinking on Older Adolescents' Alcohol Outcome Expectancies

College students (76 females. 32 males) were shown videotaped clips from popular films depicting either (a) desirable outcomes of drinking distilled spirits, (b) undesirable outcomes of drinking distilled spirits, or (c) no portrayals of distilled spirits. After presenting the film clips, we assessed their alcohol outcome expectancies and intentions to drink alcoholic beverages in the next week Participants in the positive film condition endorsed more positive expectancies than did participants in the control condition, and participants in the positive and negative film conditions endorsed more negative expectancies than did the participants in the control condition. Intentions to drink distilled spirits in the next week did not differ by film condition.     

Influence of Sexually Degrading Music on Men's Perceptions of Women's Dating‐Relevant Cues

This study examined the influence of manipulated and naturalistic exposure to sexually degrading music on young men's perceptions of women's dating‐relevant affective cues. Three hundred ninety‐seven undergraduate heterosexual men completed an affect‐identification task in which they judged whether women communicated sexual interest, friendliness, sadness, or rejection. Either sexually degrading popular music, non‐sexually degrading popular music, or no music played on headphones. Participants completed questionnaires assessing music‐listening habits and rape‐supportive attitudes. Manipulated exposure to degrading music did not affect men's sensitivities to or biases for women's cues. In contrast, men who reported greater naturalistic exposure to rap and hip‐hop music and who endorsed more rape‐supportive attitudes were more likely to perceive women's positive affect as sexual interest, if the women were provocatively dressed. On balance, these findings are largely inconsistent with theoretical expectations regarding the deleterious effects of sexually degrading music on attitudes and concurrent social perception. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Effects of a Mental Health Video on the Social Skills Knowledge and Attitudes of Mexican Immigrants1

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a Spanish mental health video, “Cuida Su Salud Mental”, on the relationship attitudes and social skills knowledge of a Mexican immigrant sample. Subjects consisted of 72 Spanish speaking English as a second language (ESL) students recruited from the Paramount Adult School, in the county of Los Angeles. The Solomon (1949) Four Group Design was used. Half of the subjects were pretested on knowledge and attitudes about effective communication skills and relationships, respectively. All subjects view either the mental health video or a control video, and then were posttested on knowledge and attitudes. Results indicated that the mental healthy video (MHV) group exhibited more knowledge, F(1, 62) = 10.61, p= 0.002, and less risky attitudes, F(1, 62) = 4.29, p= 0.043, than the control video group. The MHV group also showed an increase in knowledge from the pretest to the posttest, F(1, 35) = 7.36, p= 0.01. Finally, both video groups reported a decrease in risky attitudes from pretest to posttest, F(1, 34) = 18.21, p= 0.001. These results support the use of “Cuida Su Salud Mental” as a productive and cost-effective mental health intervention that can be used to reach a large segment of the Spanish speaking community.     

Effects of Prosocial,Neutral, and Violent Video Games on College Students' Affect

Recent research reveals that playing prosocial video games increases prosocial cognitions and helpful behaviors [Gentile el al., 2009; Greitemeyer and Osswald, 2009; 2010; 2011]. These results are consistent with social‐cognitive models of social behavior [e.g., the “General Learning Model,” Buckley and Anderson, 2006]. The social‐cognitive learning models suggest that in addition to influencing cognitions, media content may also influence affect. However, past studies on prosocial video games have failed to find a significant effect on affective measures [Greitemeyer and Osswald, 2010]. The present research examined the effects of prosocial, neutral, and violent video games on state hostility and positive affect. Also examined were moderating effects of trait aggressiveness, trait altruistic helping, and trait egoistic helping. Prosocial games reduced state hostility and increased positive state affect. Violent video games had the opposite effects. These effects were moderated by trait physical aggression. Altruistic participants reported relatively more positive affect and less state hostility. Egoistic participants reported relatively more aggravated and mean feelings. Aggr. Behav. 38:263–271, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Grape Expectations: The Role of Alcohol Expectancies in the Understanding and Treatment of Problem Drinking

Although research into alcohol expectancies is reasonably well established, there is scant empirical evidence to directly relate such expectancies to the treatment of problem drinking. Consistent evidence from alcohol expectancy studies indicates that problem drinkers hold clusters of strongly positive beliefs regarding alcohol, in particular perceiving their drinking as a way of coping with specific skills deficits. However the precise relationship between such beliefs and treatment has not yet been established. The research developments needed to more fully elucidate the role that alcohol expectancies play in the treatment of problem drinking are discussed.     

Effects of Change in Social Content of Video Rewards on Response Patterns of Bonnet Macaques

Three individually housed bonnet macaques, with long-term experience in performing a joystick task with a reward choice of either viewing color video of a single bonnet group or obtaining a banana-flavored food treat, were presented with images of a new group when they chose to view social video. The change produced absolute increases in responding for social video and enhanced preference for viewing social video relative to obtaining the food treat, supporting the view that the monkeys were strongly attending to the social content of the videos.     

The Effect of Placebo-Induced Changes in Expectancies on Maximal Force Production in College Students

This study used false information about a placebo (milk-sugar tablet) to induce expectancies regarding force production. Forty-two college students were assigned to a placebo/placebo (PP), placebo/no-placebo (PN), or control group, and underwent baseline testing and two trials assessing one-repetition maximum (1 RM) strength on a bench press and seated leg press. The PP and PN groups improved significantly compared to the control at Trial 1 for the bench press (p ≤ .01) and leg press (p ≤ .01). Disclosure of the true nature of the placebo resulted in force production declines in the PN group to levels approximating controls on the bench press (p > .05) and seated leg press (p > .05). The results suggest that placebo-associated expectancy effects played a significant part in the observed changes. Implications include information for coaches, teachers, and fitness enthusiasts about the importance of psychological factors in successful performance.     

A Qualitative Investigation of Women's and Men's Body Image Concerns and Their Attitudes Toward Aging

In-depth interviews were conducted with 42 women and men (aged 22–62 years) to explore their relationships with their bodies. The particular focus was age-related changes in body image and attitudes toward the body aging, an area that has received little research attention to date. Thematic analysis revealed distinctive gender differences. Men commonly conceptualized their bodies as a holistic entity, whereas women commonly had compartmentalized conceptualizations. They also construed the importance of their bodies differently: men tended to focus on functionality, and women tended to focus on display. These findings may help to explain gendered consequences of body dissatisfaction. Accounts about the aging of the body support a “double standard of aging.” Women viewed aging most negatively in terms of its impact on appearance, whereas men reported a neutral or even positive impact on appearance.     

Work Attitudes and Values of College Women

Despite woman's fast emergence into the working world, few studies have focused on individual changing attitudes and values that become initially responsible for setting future employment trends in our society. Following a historical perspective, a survey is presented that samples the inner feelings of young college women and their personal stand on the world of work. The results indicate a general rejection of much of the traditional work ethic. Although the attitudes expressed in this survey are simply contemporary, their hidden strength hints to the shape of a future American society that will potentially change the life-style of every individual.     

Effects of Expectancies and Personalized Feedback on Fat Consumption, Taste, and Preference

Previous studies have shown that people develop expectations about the taste and effects of consumed substances and that those expectations can guide future behavior, cognitions, and affect. Identifying expectancies for the taste of both low- and high-fat foods is important in determining people's reactions to changes in their diets. Study 1 was designed to determine the existence of expectancies for the taste of low-and high-fat foods and the effects of these expectations on food consumption and preference. Ninety-seven subjects tasted a bowl of ice cream and rated the taste on taste judgment forms. The fat content of the ice cream (high- versus low-fat) and the expectancy of high- versus low-fat content were independently manipulated using a balanced placebo design. Expectancy affected the consumption of ice cream under most circumstances: For women who received high-fat ice cream and for men, regardless of the ice cream received, consumption was higher when high-fat ice cream was expected than when low-fat ice cream was expected. Study 2 was designed to investigate the effects of educating individuals about the diet-cancer link on consumption and preference. Receiving information about diet and cancer, especially when the information was personalized, decreased overall consumption and reported preference. Current levels of daily fat consumption also affected laboratory consumption and preference. This study has several implications for interventions to lower dietary fat.