The Double-Edged Sword of Providing Information About the Prevalence of Safer Sex1 |
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| Authors: | Bram P. Buunk Regina J. J. M. VAN DEN EIJNDEN Frans W. Siero |
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| Affiliation: | 1. University of Groningen Groningen, The Netherlands;2. Addiction Research Institute Rotterdam Rotterdam, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | A group of 267 college students participated in an experiment to determine the effect of communicating different percentages (i.e., 12%, 36%, 64%, 88%) of the prevalence of safer sex in the student population on condom-use intention. A positive linear effect of prevalence information on condom-use intention was demonstrated, although the information that 64% engaged in safer sex seemed most effective in changing condom-use intention. This effect was independent of previous sexual behavior. Although prevalence information had a positive indirect effect on condom-use intention as a result of a change in perceived social norms, it had a negative indirect effect because of perceived risk. That is, information indicating a high prevalence of safer sex lowered the perceived risk of AIDS and, as a result, the intention to use condoms. |
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