The Role of Sex-specific Normative Beliefs in Undergraduate Alcohol Use

• Published in: American journal of health behavior Vol. 29; no. 4; pp. 342 - 351
• Main Authors: Thombs, Dennis L., Ray-Tomasek, Jennifer, Osborn, Cynthia J., Olds, R. Scott
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States PNG Publications 01.07.2005
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Alcohol; Alcohol Abuse; Alcohol consumption; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Attitude; Behavior Standards; Beliefs; College Drinking; College Students; Colleges; Communicable Diseases; Data Collection; Drinking; Drinking Norms; Female; Friendship; Gender norms; Humans; Male; Midwestern United States; Midwestern USA; Multivariate Analysis; Norms; Online Surveys; Reference Groups; Resistance (Psychology); Role; Sex; Sex Factors; Social Distance; Social Environment; Statistical Data; Student Surveys; Students; Students - psychology; Undergraduate Students; Universities; Midwestern United States
• ISSN: 1087-3244; 1945-7359
• DOI: 10.5993/AJHB.29.4.6

Objectives: To create explanatory models of 3 undergraduate drinking practices based on sexspecific norms. Methods: An electronic, student survey at one Mid-western university produced a representative sample of college students. Results: Multivariate analyses indicated that close-friend norms were the best predictors of drinking frequency, quantity, and drunkenness. With one exception, typical student (or distal) norms had no significant relationship to drinking. Opposite-sex norms had associations with drinking above and beyond that explained by same-sex norms. Conclusions: The findings challenge the current application of the popular social norms approach that relies on distal drinking norms to provide normative feedback.