THE DEEP RATIONALITY OF DARK CONSUMPTION Alcohol And Cigarette Use As Sexual Signaling Behavior EVELINE VINCKE 2017 Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Patrick Vyncke A dissertation submitted to Ghent University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor (PhD) in Political and Social Sciences: Communication Sciences Vincke, E. (2017). The Deep Rationality of Dark Consumption. Alcohol And Cigarette Use As Sexual Signaling Behavior (Doctoral Dissertation). Faculty of Political and Social sciences, Ghent University, Belgium. Print: University Press Cover: ‘Little Werewolf’ by Bisser. This dissertation was co-financed by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO). 2 DOCTORAL JURY Prof. Dr. Patrick Vyncke (Ghent University) Prof. Dr. Gino Verleye (Ghent University) Prof. Dr. Karin Raeymaeckers (Chair) Ghent University Prof. Dr. Karolien Poels (University of Antwerp) Prof. Dr. Liselot Hudders (Ghent University) Prof. Dr. Charlotte De Backer (University of Antwerp) Prof. Dr. Veroline Cauberghe (Ghent University) 3 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank you all, My fantastic supervisor, My wonderful friends, My love My lovely daughter My lovely, lovely parents And all those who have helped me to complete this wonderful scientific journey. Thank you so very much! 5 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Doctoral jury ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................ 5 Table of contents ............................................................................................................................... 7 List of tables ..................................................................................................................................... 14 List of figures .................................................................................................................................... 15 Nederlandstalige samenvatting ....................................................................................................... 17 1. Theoretische inleiding ........................................................................................................... 17 2. Samenvatting van de voornaamste bevindingen ................................................................. 20 2.1. Trekt ongezond consumptiegedrag de aandacht van jongvolwassenen? .................... 20 2.2. Werkt ongezond consumptiegedrag als een kortetermijn seksueel signaal? .............. 21 2.3. Beïnvloedt de financiële kost de werking van ongezond consumptiegedrag als een kortetermijn seksueel signaal? ................................................................................................. 24 3. Discussie en conclusie ........................................................................................................... 25 3.1. Discussie ........................................................................................................................ 25 3.2. Conclusie ........................................................................................................................ 26 4. Referenties ............................................................................................................................ 27 English summary .............................................................................................................................. 33 1. Theoretical introduction ....................................................................................................... 33 2. Summary of main findings .................................................................................................... 36 2.1. Does dark consumption attract young adults’ attention? ............................................ 36 2.2. Does dark consumption function as a short-term mating signal? ................................ 36 2.3. Does the financial cost affect the functioning of dark consumption as a short-term mating signal? ........................................................................................................................... 39 3. Discussion and conclusion .................................................................................................... 39 3.1. Discussion ...................................................................................................................... 39 3.2. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 41 7 4. References ............................................................................................................................ 42 Chapter 1: Theoretical introduction. ............................................................................................... 49 1. Dark consumption ................................................................................................................. 49 2. Evolutionary psychology ....................................................................................................... 51 2.1. Evolved psychological mechanisms ............................................................................... 51 2.2. Ultimate perspective ..................................................................................................... 53 2.3. Deep rationality ............................................................................................................. 54 2.4. The mind as a fitness affordance management system ................................................ 55 3. Deep rationality of risky behavior ........................................................................................ 57 3.1. Sex-specificity in risk-taking. ......................................................................................... 57 3.2. Sexual selection ............................................................................................................. 58 3.3. Sexual strategies ............................................................................................................ 59 3.4. Male sexual signaling ..................................................................................................... 61 3.5. Male risk-taking as sexual signaling .............................................................................. 64 3.6. Female sexual signaling ................................................................................................. 66 3.7. Female risk-taking as sexual signaling ........................................................................... 67 4. (Costly) Signaling theory ....................................................................................................... 69 5. The deep rationality of dark consumption ........................................................................... 73 6. Research aims and research questions ................................................................................ 77 7. Dissertation outline .............................................................................................................. 80 8. References ............................................................................................................................ 83 Chapter 2: Does alcohol catch the eye? Investigating young adults’ attention to alcohol consumption. ................................................................................................................................. 111 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 112 1.1. Self-presentational drinking behavior ......................................................................... 113 1.2. (Costly) signaling theory .............................................................................................. 115 1.3. Current research .......................................................................................................... 116 2. Study 1: Visual attention ..................................................................................................... 118 2.1. Design and participants ............................................................................................... 118 2.2. Materials and method ................................................................................................. 118 8 2.3. Procedure .................................................................................................................... 120 2.4. Results.......................................................................................................................... 120 2.5. Discussion .................................................................................................................... 123 3. Study 2: Recall ..................................................................................................................... 124 3.1. Design and participants ............................................................................................... 124 3.2. Materials and method ................................................................................................. 125 3.3. Procedure .................................................................................................................... 127 3.4. Results.........................................................................................................................