PERCEPTION OF SEXUAL INTENT - THE ROLE OF GENDER, ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION, AND RAPE SUPPORTIVE ATTITUDES

This study examined the effects of participant's gender, participant's rape supportive attitudes, and target's alcohol consumption on partic ipant's perceptions of target's sexual intent. Female and male college students read vignettes in which a young woman and man who were socia lizing consumed either alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages. At the stu died university, approximately 86% of undergraduates were Caucasian, 8 % were African American, 3% were Asian, and 3% had other ethnic backgr ounds. As hypothesized, men perceived female targets as behaving more sexually than did women, especially men high in rape myth acceptance. Male and female targets' alcohol consumption interacted, such that whe n both individuals were drinking alcohol they were perceived as being most sexual and their drinking was viewed as most appropriate. The rap e myth acceptance and alcohol findings are discussed in terms of their implications for sexual assault and substance abuse prevention progra mming.