A cross-cultural comparison of the processes underlying the associations between sharing of and exposure to alcohol references and drinking intentions

Bibliographic Data

ID12656182
AuthorsFemke Geusens (0000-0002-3600-2249, KU Leuven, corresponding author), Cabral A Bigman (0000-0002-4510-7878, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA), Kathleen Beullens (0000-0002-0530-7947, KU Leuven)
Year2019
Volume22
Issue1
Pages49-69
Publication date2019-07-03
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNew Media & Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1461-4448 • E-ISSN: 1461-7315
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1461444819860057
OpenAlexW2955063971
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited42

This study is among the first to cross-culturally compare the associations between social media use and emerging adults’ drinking behavior in an accepting (Belgium) and comparatively restricted (USA) Western drinking culture. A cross-sectional survey was administered among 770 college students ( n USA = 253, 24% male; n Belgium = 487, 34% male) aged 18–20 years. Structural equation modeling was used and demonstrated that the association between exposure to others’ alcohol-related content on social media and drinking intentions operated similarly via more positive descriptive and injunctive norms for both populations, whereas the association between self-sharing and drinking intentions operated similarly via more positive attitudes. However, only among Belgian students was sharing alcohol references also related to drinking intentions through descriptive norms. Overall, this study points to the generalizability of attitudes and social norms as mechanisms of alcohol-related social media (self-)effects among emerging adult college students across Western drinking cultures

Association (psychology · Descriptive statistics · Developmental psychology · Environmental health · Generalizability theory · Political science · Social media · Social norms approach · Sociology · Structural equation modeling · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Demography · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology

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Open DOISci-HubOpen Access