title: The relationship between assertiveness, alcohol-related expectations for social assertion and drinking patterns among college students.
abstract: Alcohol-related expectancies have been shown to correlate with and predict a wide range of drinking behaviors. Rotter's social learning theory asserts that behavioral prediction can be improved through the use of reinforcement value in addition to expectancies. The present investigation evaluated this assertion in comparing the ability of alcohol-related expectancies to predict alcohol consumption for low and high assertive college students. It was hypothesized that the expectation that alcohol would facilitate social assertion would be predictive of self-reported heavy drinking by low, but not highly assertive students. Results showed that the typical quantity, maximum quantity, and frequency of drinking by low assertive females were predicted only by the expectation of Social Assertion. For low assertive males, Social Assertion was predictive of frequency of drinking. Moreover, of the students, male and female, high in assertiveness, drinking patterns were not predicted by the expectation of enhanced Social Assertion.
authors.affiliation: University of Idaho.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Corcoran
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology; D001242:Assertiveness; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012718:Set, Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior