Renske Koordeman

r.koordeman@pwo.ru.nl

Title project:
The Truman Show: The Effects of Alcohol Portrayal in the Media on Actual Alcohol Consumption

Abstract:
Substance use among youth is a prominent health problem in Europe and Dutch adolescents are in the top three of European countries in terms of drinking. Knowledge about the determinants of alcohol use is necessary to develop and implement effective prevention programs. Previous studies have shown that media influences play a role in the development of drinking patterns. Young people might be more vulnerable to media influence since they are in a stage in which norms, values, and attitudes are to be developed. In most previous studies, surveys have been used to assess the media influence on alcohol consumption. However, this type of research can not draw conclusions about the underlying mechanism between alcohol portrayal and actual use. Observational methods are more suitable to test the direct effects of media exposure on actual drinking behavior. The aim of this research project is to test the effects of alcohol portrayal in films, soaps, and commercials on actual drinking behavior of young people. Specifically, we test whether individuals imitate drinking of characters on screen, and whether these effects are moderated by identification with the characters and genetic susceptibility for alcohol cues. We will conduct a series of experiments to examine respondents’ drinking in a naturalistic setting, since people might display more typical, real life behaviors in a natural setting than in a clinical lab setting.