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Alcohol's effects on perceptions of a potential date rape
Antonia Abbey1, Philip O Buck, Tina Zawacki
1Department of Community Medicine and Psychology, Wayne State University, 4201 St. Antoine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. aabbey@med.wayne.edu
Journal of Studies on Alcohol
|October 24, 2003
Summary
Alcohol consumption influences college students' perceptions of sexual consent. Intoxicated individuals perceived less likelihood of forced sex, highlighting the role of cognitive factors in decision-making during intoxication.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Substance Abuse Research
Background:
- Date rape situations are a significant concern on college campuses.
- Understanding factors influencing perceptions of consent is crucial for prevention efforts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how alcohol consumption, alcohol expectancies, and situational factors affect college students' perceptions of a potential date rape scenario.
- To investigate the mediating role of cognitive factors and perceived sexual arousal in the relationship between alcohol consumption and perceptions of forced sex.
Main Methods:
- 90 male and 90 female college students participated.
- Participants were randomly assigned to consume alcohol, a placebo, or a nonalcoholic beverage.
- Participants read a vignette depicting a date scenario with ambiguous consent cues.
Main Results:
- Alcohol consumption, alcohol expectancies, attitudes toward casual sex, and drinking habits on dates significantly influenced perceptions of the vignette.
- Alcohol expectancy set and gender did not significantly affect perceptions of the likelihood of forced sex.
Conclusions:
- Intoxicated participants perceived the female character as more sexually aroused and the male character as behaving more appropriately.
- These perceptions were negatively correlated with the likelihood of forced sex, underscoring the influence of mediating cues in intoxicated decision-making.