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Abstract
The present experimental study investigated the effects of strengthening or weakening adolescents' perceptions of equivalence between themselves and the leading characters of a reality show displaying excessive alcohol consumption in the Nethderlands. A randomized between-subject design was used with three experimental conditions (instruction to either focus on similarities or differences with the characters or a neutral instruction) and one control group. A total of 108 adolescents (mean age 15.17) participated. Their alcohol-related attitudes and intentions were measured after watching a compilation of a popular real-life television show displaying excessive alcohol consumption. Drinking intentions were found to be significantly lower in participants who focused on differences compared to those in the similarities or neutral instruction condition. This study provides preliminary evidence that the effects of exposure to excessive alcohol consumption in popular television shows on drinking intentions can be diminished by focusing adolescents on the differences between themselves and the media characters. Being a first, pioneering study on this topic, the results might constitute an interesting starting point for future research.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
D.J. Anschutz
Doeschka J. Anschutz (PhD) is an assistant professor at the department of Communication Science at the Radboud University of Nijmegen. She examines the effects of exposure to mediated food or alcohol cues on youth's eating and drinking behaviors, and the processes involved. Currently, she is focusing on the effects of the addition of entertainment elements to information, education and advertising on health behaviors in youth. She received her PhD in Psychology from the Radboud University of Nijmegen. E-mail: [email protected]
K. Van den Berg
Kevin van den Berg recently graduated from the University of Amsterdam, finishing the Master in Communication Studies with a specialization in Youth and Media cum laude. Previously he finished the Master of Business studies, with a focus on marketing. He is especially interested in using persuasion to create interventions and thereby using commercial techniques to the benefit of children and adolescents. This article is based upon his Master's Thesis.
A.M. de Graaf
Anneke M. de Graaf (PhD) is a postdoctoral researcher in the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR) at the University of Amsterdam. She obtained a PhD in communication from Radboud University Nijmegen. Her recent research focuses on interventions to reduce alcohol and tobacco use among youth.
R. Koordeman
Renske Koordeman is a PhD student at the Behavioral Science Institute at Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands. In 2008, she started her PhD after obtaining a master degree in International Public Health at the VU University Amsterdam. She is interested in processes explaining the effects of media alcohol portrayals on young people. With experimental designs in semi-naturalistic settings, she tests whether and how young people are susceptible for media alcohol portrayals.