Modern Psychological Studies

Volume 3 Number 1 Article 5

1995

Pluralistic ignorance concerning alcohol usage among recent high school graduates

Jill S. Braddock University of Evansville

Tonia R. Wolf University of Evansville

Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.utc.edu/mps

Part of the Psychology Commons

Recommended Citation Braddock, Jill S. and Wolf, Tonia R. (1995) "Pluralistic ignorance concerning alcohol usage among recent high school graduates," Modern Psychological Studies: Vol. 3 : No. 1 , Article 5. Available at: https://scholar.utc.edu/mps/vol3/iss1/5

This articles is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals, Magazines, and Newsletters at UTC Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Modern Psychological Studies by an authorized editor of UTC Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Till S. Braddock and Tonia R. Wolf

Pluralistic Ignorance Concerning that expectations were more important in predicting an adolescent's drinking habits Alcohol Usage Among Recent than either background or demographic High School Graduates variables. Jill S. Braddock and Tonia R. Wolf Prentice and Miller (1993) conducted a study at Princeton University University of Evansville designed to test "pluralistic ignorance" in undergraduates' use of alcohol. They Abstract found pluralistic ignorance prevalent in the undergraduates' beliefs that they were Recent high school graduates in a mid- less comfortable with drinking alcohol western community estimated their than the average student. Thus, alcohol classmates' attitudes toward alcohol use use may play an integral role in campus in contrast to their own positions. life because everyone believes it to be the Attitudes were assessed on three levels: accepted norm, despite conflicting subjective comfort with others' drinking, personal sentiments. approval of peer drinking and actual Our research broadens this study drinking practices. Pluralistic ignorance by using entering college freshmen who was found to be a significant factor at all have only recently graduated from high three levels, p < .0005. Respondents re- school as subjects and testing for ported that they were less comfortable, pluralistic ignorance on three levels: less approving, and drank less than close comfort, feelings, and behavior. Based on friends, lesser still than friends, and far previous research, we hypothesize that less than peers. These findings provide recent secondary school graduates will support for "normative education" pre- perceive the average high school student vention programs that attempt to correct as more comfortable with alcohol norms erroneous perceptions about alcohol use than they actually are. and abuse. Method As individuals learn to identify themselves as members of a group, they Subjects become more influenced by their perception of the acceptable behavioral During summer registration at a norms of that group. In this process they small mid—western university, 556 become "ignorant" of their own beliefs surveys were randomly distributed to that may be in conflict with group incoming freshmen. Of the 510 surveys standards. Thus, even though outward completed and returned (92% response behavior appears congruent with group rate), 299 were completed by females and norms, individual beliefs can remain 211 were completed by males. The remarkably disparate. Katz and Allport experimenter asked subjects to participate (1928) referred to this phenomenon as on a purely volunteer basis. The subjects' "pluralistic ignorance" and suggested that ages ranged from 17 to 18 years. it explained many puzzling aspects of Materials group conformity. Bandura (1986) found that a Each entering freshman was given person's expectation about a particular a six page pamphlet containing a cover behavior, and not its known actual letter with instructions, a consent form, outcome, is the key factor in "predicting" and the survey itself. The survey consisted whether or not that behavior will occur. of both demographic and alcohol related In the early 1980's various studies questions. The demographic section in- (Christiansen & Goldman, 1983; Biddle, cluded the following independent vari- Bank, & Marlen, 1980) linked this theory ables: social security number, sex, age, with adolescent alcohol usage. race, GPA, high school rank, size of se- Christiansen and Goldman (1983) found nior class, location of high school and re-

34 MODERN PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES PLURALISTIC IGNORANCE quested housing for the coming freshman tained between males and females and the year. The alcohol related questions asked sex x contiguity interaction. about their expectations, attitudes and cur- Supplemental t-tests found no significant rent alcohol drinking practices in sec- difference between respondent and best ondary school. Subjects responded to the friend or between friends and average stu- questions on a 1-5 Likert scale. dent; however, all other comparisons showed significant differences p < .001. Procedure Figure 2 plots mean approval of Surveys were randomly distributed peer drinking for the respondent, the to students who were participating in a other, the best friend and friends. These two day freshmen-orientation weekend. The students were informed that the survey was to be used by the psychology department for research purposes. Generally, subjects completed the survey within 15 minutes. Results Figures 1-3 present the data obtained for reported comfort with, approval of, and actual behavior You Sig. Other Best Fnend Fnends concerning alcohol usage among Social Contiguity secondary school peers of recent male and female high school graduates. Figure 1 NM Males Females plots mean subjective comfort with peer Figure 2. Males' and females' mean estimates of drinking behavior for you, significant other, best

4 friend, and friends. 3.5 3 results were analyzed with a 2 x 4 mixed 2.5 cr design ANOVA: significant differences .c 2 were obtained for social contiguity F(3, •o 1.5 1026) = 43.551, p < .0005 and the sex x contiguity interaction F (3, 1026) = 0.5 13.987, p < .0005, but no significant 0 difference was obtained between males You Best Fnend Fnends Avg Student Social Contiguity and females. Supplemental t—tests found no significant difference between 11.1 Males 11111 Females significant other and best friend; however, all other comparisons showed significant Figure 1. Males' and females' mean estimate of differences, p < .035. comfort rating for you, best friend, friend, and Figure 3 plots mean actual alcohol average student. drinking behavior of the respondent, the significant other, the best friend, and the friends. These results were analyzed with alcohol usage for the respondent, the best a 2 x 4 mixed design ANOVA: significant friend, the friends and the average student. differences were obtained for social These results were analyzed with a contiguity F(3,1014) = 42.330, p < .0005 2 x 4 mixed design ANOVA: a significant and the sex x contiguity interaction F difference was obtained among social (3,1014) = 8.204, p < .0005, but no contiguity F(3,1500) = 12.332, p < .0005, significant difference was obtained be- but no significant differences were ob- tween males and females. Supplemental t—

MODERN PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES 35 Jill S. Braddock and Tonia R. Wolf

and Miller (1993). Their subjects assumed that peers were more accepting of drinking practices than themselves. 2.5 Thus, they believed themselves to be deviant from the social norm, becoming victims of pluralistic ignorance. These students were victimized because they did not base their actions on their own intent. 0.5 Rather, the fear of unintentional deviance resulted in a behavior pattern that was You Sig. Other Best Mend Friends simply a reflection of their high school Social Contiguity peer group's attitude. This finding is consistent with NN Males 111. Females previously studies which have shown that attitudes about alcohol and its assessibility Figure 3. Males' and females' mean estimates of within one's peer group to be accurate approval rating for you, significant other, best predictors of adolescent usage (Marks, friend, and friends. Graham, & Hansen, 1992). In fact, peer group influence has been found to be more highly correlated with adolescent tests found no significant difference be- usage than either parental influence or the tween the respondent and the significant severity of legal sanctions against under— other, however, all other comparisons age consumption (Newcomb and Bentler, showed significant differences, p < .007. 1986). The implications of this pattern of Discussion pluralistic ignorance for alcohol use among high school graduates are evident. This study clearly portrays the First, because the student assumes that al- erroneous judgments of recent high school cohol is essential for the success of a so- graduates' perceptions of peers' attitudes cial event, he/she is less likely to attend a and practices about alcohol. In an increas- non—alcoholic event for fear of not con- ing trend, both males and females rated forming. Therefore, construction of non— one's own comfort less than their best alcoholic social functions, which try to friend's comfort, their friends' comfort and serve as a replacement of social functions the average student's comfort. This same trend with contiguity is also apparent for that include alcohol, will probably not be approval level in regard to the respondent, useful in decreasing usage. Second, in- the best friend and the friends. However, formational campaigns aimed at the indi- when asked about significant others' ap- vidual are fruitless because they change proval, males replied their girlfriends were only personal opinion and not behavior less accepting of peer drinking practices, because the individual's perception of the and females replied their boyfriends were status quo remains intact. As a result, more accepting of peer drinking practices. these common types of school—based pro- This trend with contiguity grams that seek to decrease adolescent continues to be apparent with alcohol drinking are ineffective (Hansen, 1990). drinking behavior in regard to the Effective programs both educate the ado- respondent, the best friend, and the lescent in peer resistive training and try to friends. However, when asked about their change the misconstrued perceptions significant others' drinking practices males about the "norms" of alcohol usage replied their girlfriends were lighter (Hansen and Graham, 1991). drinkers, and females replied their boyfriends were heavier drinkers. References The obtained results were Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations congruent with the findings of Prentice of thought and action.

36 MODERN PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES PLURALISTIC IGNORANCE

Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice— Acknowledgements Hall, in press. Biddle, B. J., Bank, B., & Marlin, M. Dr. John R. Lakey served as a (1980). Social determinants of consultant throughout this project. Also, adolescent drinking. Journal of the distribution of surveys was facilitated Studies on Alcohol, 41, 215-241. by S.O.A.R orientation leaders. Christiansen, B. A., & Goldman, M. S. (1983). Alcohol related ex- pectancies versus demo- graphic/background variables in the prediction of adolescent drinking. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 249-257. Hansen, W. B. (1990). School-based sub- stance abuse prevention: A re- view of the state of the art in curriculum, 1980-1990. Health Education Reserve, in press. Hansen, W. B., & Graham, J. W. (1991). Preventing alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette use among adoles- cents: peer pressure resistance training versus establishing con- servative norms. Preventive Medicine, 17, 135-154. Katz, D. ,& Allport, F. H. (1928). Student Attitudes: A report of the Syracuse University Research Study. Syracuse, NY: Craftsman Press. Marks, G., Graham, J. W., & Hansen, W. B. (1992). Social projection and social conformity in adolescent alcohol use: A longitudinal anal- ysis. Perspectives of Social Psychology Bulletin, 18(1), 96- 101. Newcomb, M. D., & Bentler, P. M. (1986). Substance use and eth- nicity: Differential impact of peer and adult models. Journal of Psychology, 120, 83-95. Prentice, D. A., & Miller, D. T. (1993). Pluralistic ignorance and alcohol use on campus: Some conse- quences of- misperceiving the social norm. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64, 243-256.

MODERN PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES 37