Gender differences in college drinkers: A test of the precarious manhood hypothesis on drinking motivation

Introduction: Drinking among college students has remained a prominent problem within the United States, with more than 50% of college students drinking alcohol, 30% considered binge drinkers, and 9% considered heavy drinkers (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2018). Evidence also shows that men are more likely to partake in risky drinking behaviors (e.g., binge drinking or drinking to intoxication) and are at higher risk to be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder compared with women (Grant et al., 2004; Iwamoto et al., 2014). Recent findings suggest that adherence to particular masculine norms is a risk factor for problematic alcohol use among men (Lemle & Mishkind, 1989; Iwamoto et al., 2011; Liu & Iwamoto, 2007; Locke & Mahalik, 2005; Mahalik, 2000; Peralta, 2007; Radimer & Rowan-Kenyon, 2019), and that drinking in itself may be seen as masculine. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways gender threat can influence alcohol use motivation. Methods: Using an experimental design, the interaction of gender and gender threat in the prediction of alcohol expectancies (i.e., motivation to use) was assessed in a college sample. Furthermore, exploratory analyses were conducted to investigate the impact of adherence to masculine norms on the relationship between gender, gender threat, and alcohol motivation. Results: Results indicated that both men and women who were threatened responded similarly on most measures of anxiety/distress. Further, women who were threatened were less likely to have positive expectancies toward alcohol than women who were not threatened. Lastly, no relationship was found between adherence to masculine norms and gender threat or alcohol motivation. Discussion: These findings highlight the need for further studies to investigate the role of gender threat on alcohol motivation and expectancies within a male and female sample.