Alcohol use is a widespread behavior that may be associated with negative consequences, especially for men. Research suggests that individuals are motivated to maintain in-group status by engaging in behaviors prototypical of the in-group when group status has been challenged, and that men are particularly likely to do this when masculine in-group status is threatened. This study investigated masculine drinking behaviors through Social and individual lenses, examining the impact of group identification and individual differences on alcohol consumption rates after a simulated gender threatening situation in a bar laboratory. Sixty-five male students (ages 21-29; 74% Caucasian) were given the chance to consume beer using a taste test paradigm after being exposed to fabricated personality feedback relative to gender standards. This feedback suggested that they were either low in masculinity (threat condition, n = 22) or high in masculinity (control condition, n = 22). A third condition was included to examine the contribution of other motives for use; individuals in this third condition received the low masculinity feedback and then were given information to undermine masculine alcohol use norms (undermine condition, n = 21). As hypothesized, individuals in the threat condition consumed significantly more alcohol than those in the control and undermine conditions. Proposed interaction effects between strength of identification with the masculine in-group or traditional gender role attitudes and alcohol consumption behaviors were not statistically significant. These results suggest that consumption of alcohol by men in Social contexts may be a strongly motivated by the desire to confirm masculine status. This understanding may be used to enhance the effectiveness of norms-based alcohol use treatment protocols.
","abstract_html":"<p>Alcohol use is a widespread behavior that may be associated with negative consequences, especially for men. Research suggests that individuals are motivated to maintain in-group status by engaging in behaviors prototypical of the in-group when group status has been challenged, and that men are particularly likely to do this when masculine in-group status is threatened. This study investigated masculine drinking behaviors through Social and individual lenses, examining the impact of group identification and individual differences on alcohol consumption rates after a simulated gender threatening situation in a bar laboratory. Sixty-five male students (ages 21-29; 74% Caucasian) were given the chance to consume beer using a taste test paradigm after being exposed to fabricated personality feedback relative to gender standards. This feedback suggested that they were either low in masculinity (threat condition, n = 22) or high in masculinity (control condition, n = 22). A third condition was included to examine the contribution of other motives for use; individuals in this third condition received the low masculinity feedback and then were given information to undermine masculine alcohol use norms (undermine condition, n = 21). As hypothesized, individuals in the threat condition consumed significantly more alcohol than those in the control and undermine conditions. Proposed interaction effects between strength of identification with the masculine in-group or traditional gender role attitudes and alcohol consumption behaviors were not statistically significant. These results suggest that consumption of alcohol by men in Social contexts may be a strongly motivated by the desire to confirm masculine status. This understanding may be used to enhance the effectiveness of norms-based alcohol use treatment protocols.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Fugitt, Jessica Lauren"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Bridges, Ana J.","Eidelman, Scott H."],"advisors":["Ham, Lindsay S."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-08-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-08-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:40Z","subjects":["Psychology","Alcohol use","Confirmatory motive","Coping motive","Drinking motives","Masculinity","Men","Clinical Psychology","Social Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1684","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Bridges, Ana J.","Eidelman, Scott H."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Ham, Lindsay S."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Fugitt, Jessica Lauren"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2016"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2017-08-04T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Psychology","Alcohol use","Confirmatory motive","Coping motive","Drinking motives","Masculinity","Men","Clinical Psychology","Social Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1684"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Alcohol use is a widespread behavior that may be associated with negative consequences, especially for men. Research suggests that individuals are motivated to maintain in-group status by engaging in behaviors prototypical of the in-group when group status has been challenged, and that men are particularly likely to do this when masculine in-group status is threatened. This study investigated masculine drinking behaviors through Social and individual lenses, examining the impact of group identification and individual differences on alcohol consumption rates after a simulated gender threatening situation in a bar laboratory. Sixty-five male students (ages 21-29; 74% Caucasian) were given the chance to consume beer using a taste test paradigm after being exposed to fabricated personality feedback relative to gender standards. This feedback suggested that they were either low in masculinity (threat condition, n = 22) or high in masculinity (control condition, n = 22). A third condition was included to examine the contribution of other motives for use; individuals in this third condition received the low masculinity feedback and then were given information to undermine masculine alcohol use norms (undermine condition, n = 21). As hypothesized, individuals in the threat condition consumed significantly more alcohol than those in the control and undermine conditions. Proposed interaction effects between strength of identification with the masculine in-group or traditional gender role attitudes and alcohol consumption behaviors were not statistically significant. These results suggest that consumption of alcohol by men in Social contexts may be a strongly motivated by the desire to confirm masculine status. This understanding may be used to enhance the effectiveness of norms-based alcohol use treatment protocols.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Beer for Brohood: A Laboratory Simulation of Masculinity Confirmation through Alcohol Use Behaviors in Men"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Bridges, Ana J.","Eidelman, Scott H."],"dc:contributor.advisor":["Ham, Lindsay S."],"dc:creator":["Fugitt, Jessica Lauren"],"dc:date":["2016"],"dc:date.available":["2017-08-04T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Alcohol use is a widespread behavior that may be associated with negative consequences, especially for men. Research suggests that individuals are motivated to maintain in-group status by engaging in behaviors prototypical of the in-group when group status has been challenged, and that men are particularly likely to do this when masculine in-group status is threatened. This study investigated masculine drinking behaviors through Social and individual lenses, examining the impact of group identification and individual differences on alcohol consumption rates after a simulated gender threatening situation in a bar laboratory. Sixty-five male students (ages 21-29; 74% Caucasian) were given the chance to consume beer using a taste test paradigm after being exposed to fabricated personality feedback relative to gender standards. This feedback suggested that they were either low in masculinity (threat condition, n = 22) or high in masculinity (control condition, n = 22). A third condition was included to examine the contribution of other motives for use; individuals in this third condition received the low masculinity feedback and then were given information to undermine masculine alcohol use norms (undermine condition, n = 21). As hypothesized, individuals in the threat condition consumed significantly more alcohol than those in the control and undermine conditions. Proposed interaction effects between strength of identification with the masculine in-group or traditional gender role attitudes and alcohol consumption behaviors were not statistically significant. These results suggest that consumption of alcohol by men in Social contexts may be a strongly motivated by the desire to confirm masculine status. This understanding may be used to enhance the effectiveness of norms-based alcohol use treatment protocols.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1684"],"dc:subject":["Psychology","Alcohol use","Confirmatory motive","Coping motive","Drinking motives","Masculinity","Men","Clinical Psychology","Social Psychology"],"dc:title":["Beer for Brohood: A Laboratory Simulation of Masculinity Confirmation through Alcohol Use Behaviors in Men"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:40Z"}