title: The role of sex-specific normative beliefs in undergraduate alcohol use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To create explanatory models of 3 undergraduate drinking practices based on sex-specific norms.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic, student survey at one Mid-western university produced a representative sample of college students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analyses indicated that close-friend norms were the best predictors of drinking frequency, quantity, and drunkenness. With one exception, typical student (or distal) norms had no significant relationship to drinking. Opposite-sex norms had associations with drinking above and beyond that explained by same-sex norms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings challenge the current application of the popular social norms approach that relies on distal drinking norms to provide normative feedback.
authors: Health Promotion Program, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242-0001, USA. dthombs@kent.edu
authors: Dennis L
authors: DL
authors: Thombs
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Ray-Tomasek
authors: Cynthia J
authors: CJ
authors: Osborn
authors: R Scott
authors: RS
authors: Olds
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities