Excuses for negative outcomes of alcohol abuse vs. lateness: Effects on observer judgments
Abstract
The focus of this study was on observers of problem drinkers. The primary purpose was to investigate the effect of excuses on the perceived cause of an alcohol-related negative consequence, attitudes toward the drinker, identification of the drinking problem as a serious matter, and intentions of the observer to express concern to the drinker. Previous research on causal attributions and the protective role of excuses in impression management laid the groundwork for this experimental study of observer judgments. An independent subjects factorial design was used to investigate the effects of excuses and duration of the problem on a variety of observer perceptions. Responses of 271 participants were assessed via responses to vignettes in which a problem drinker did or did not offer an excuse for an alcohol-related negative outcome. Chronic lateness was used as a comparison condition to examine how perceptions differed for a common behavior. Alcohol abuse and chronic lateness were not viewed similarly, and excuses functioned differently, depending upon the problem condition. Consumption patterns of the participants influenced how excuses and duration of the problem affected problem identification, attitudes toward a fellow drinker, and intentions to help him. Implications for secondary prevention and future research directions are based on questions raised by both the method and findings of this study.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Svanum, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Social psychology
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