Publication Date

Spring 2012

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Arlene Asuncion

Keywords

alcohol attitudes, consequences, emerging adults, KnowledgePanel, online survey, vignette

Subject Areas

Social psychology; Developmental psychology; Alternative dispute resolution

Abstract

Many factors may contribute to forming attitudes towards alcohol, such as peer groups, family history, and media influences. This study focused on the inclusion of consequences in portrayals of alcohol-use and the possible influences on emerging adult attitudes towards alcohol. The emerging adult population represents a relatively newly defined developmental stage that roughly spans the ages of 18 to 25 years. Emerging adult attitudes towards alcohol were expected to vary positively or negatively after reading a vignette of alcohol-use that included a positive consequence, a negative consequence, or no consequence. Emerging adult attitudes did not vary by the alcohol-use consequences presented, and no difference was found between male and female attitudes towards alcohol. The null results may be due to a lack of control during the online survey procedure that led to ineffective exposure of the experimental stimuli. However, a small effect size of the vignette medium may also play a role in the null results, as no significant results were found when restricting analyses to participants with adequate stimulus exposure.

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