Measuring college students' motives for playing drinking games.
Students may choose to play drinking games not only for reasons related to alcohol consumption but also because of incentives related to other aspects of play (competition, fun, interpersonal dominance, etc.). College students (120 men and 167 women) completed measures of motives for playing (based on T. J. Johnson, S. Hamilton, & V. L. Sheets, 1999) and consequences of playing drinking games. Exploratory principal-components analysis identified 8 reasons for playing. Men and women differed in their endorsement of the factors. Motives for play directly predicted consequences of play independently of alcohol consumption. Specific motives predicted specific types of consequences. In multiple regression analyses, Conformity motives were negatively related to consequences and may represent a form of protective motive.
Johnson
Thomas J
TJ
Department of Psychology and Center for the Study of Health, Religion, & Spirituality, Indiana State University, Terre Haute 47809, USA. pytjohn@isugw.indstate.edu
Sheets
Virgil L
VL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012737:Sex Factors; D012932:Social Facilitation; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities