The Effects Of Men\u27s Acute Alcohol Intoxication, Overperception Of Sexual Intent, Interpersonal Rejection And Testosterone On Aggression Toward Women

This study was designed to assess Abbey\u27s (1991; 2002; 2011) model, which posits that acute alcohol intoxication increases the likelihood of sexual aggression at two stages of a cross-sex interaction. Early on, the cognitive impairments induced by alcohol encourage a potential perpetrator to overperceive a woman\u27s level of sexual intent. Later, if the man\u27s sexual advances are rejected, intoxication encourages an aggressive response. This research expands on the previous literature by examining: 1) both stages of Abbey\u27s model in a single study, 2) rejection from a woman as a potential trigger for aggression, and 3) behavioral (past sexual assault perpetration), personality (trait aggression) and physiological (testosterone) risk factors for aggression as moderators of the hypothesized relationships. Participants completed an online survey assessing background variables and eligibility criteria for the alcohol administration lab study. The lab study included a baseline salivary testosterone measurement, alcohol administration (alcohol vs. sober conditions), a dyadic interaction with a woman (confederate), assessment of participant\u27s perceptions of the woman\u27s level of sexual intent, a manipulated rejection from the woman (reject vs. accept), and a behavioral measure of aggression toward the woman (hot sauce allocation paradigm). Fifty-eight heterosexual single men, ages 21 to 28, completed the online survey and lab study. Acute alcohol intoxication, past perpetration and testosterone were unrelated to participants\u27 overperceptions of the woman\u27s level of sexual intent. Acute alcohol intoxication and trait aggression were marginally related to aggression toward the woman. Rejection condition and testosterone were not independently related to aggression, but worked together synergistically; rejected participants high in testosterone responded more aggressively toward the woman. Overall, this study did not provide support for Abbey\u27s model. However, given the novelty of this study design and the small sample size, additional research is needed before any conclusions can be drawn. This study replicated key findings from the general aggression and testosterone literatures. Additional research is needed that examines how rejection from a woman increases the likelihood of directed aggression toward the woman. Future research should consider baseline and change in testosterone as potential physiological risk factors for aggression toward women

The Role Of Personality, Attitudinal And Situational Predictors In A Prospective Analysis Of Misperception Of Sexual Intent

The current study adds to the literature on misperceptions of sexual intent by using individual difference measures assessed at Time 1 to predict frequency of misperception of sexual intent at Time 2, one year later. Participants\u27 self-reports of impulsivity, positive casual sexual attitudes and sex-related alcohol expectancies at Time 1 were hypothesized to be positively related to dating and sexual experiences, drinking in those situations, and frequency of misperception at Time 2. A large representative community sample of single men from the Detroit metropolitan area (N = 423) completed audio computer-assisted self-interviews on their dating experiences. Structural equation modeling was used to test separate mediation and interaction path analysis models. The mediation model produced better model fit. Results indicated that impulsivity has a central role in the misperception process. Drinking in dating and sexual situations partially mediated the relationship between dating and sexual experiences and misperception. Future misperception research should continue to utilize prospective analysis, and investigate other personality measures in addition to impulsivity. Interventions aimed at increasing impulse-control and decreasing problematic drinking behaviors are discussed

Perceived Discrimination, Racial Identity, and Multisystem Stress Response to Social Evaluative Threat Among African American Men and Women

ObjectiveUnderstanding individual differences in the psychobiology of the stress response is critical to grasping how psychosocial factors contribute to racial and ethnic health disparities. However, the ways in which environmentally sensitive biological systems coordinate in response to acute stress is not well understood. We used a social-evaluative stress task to investigate coordination among the autonomic nervous system, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and immune/inflammatory system in a community sample of 85 healthy African American men and women.MethodsSix saliva samples, 2 at each of baseline, event, and recovery phases of the stressor task, were assayed for cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, salivary alpha-amylase, and salivary C-reactive protein. Individual differences in perceived discrimination and racial identity were also measured.ResultsFactor analysis demonstrated that stress systems were largely dissociated before stressor exposure but became aligned during event and recovery phases into functional biological stress responses (factor loadings ≥ .58). Coordinated responses were related to interactions of perceived discrimination and racial identity: when racial identity was strong, highly perceived discrimination was associated with low hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity at baseline (B's = .68-.72, p < .001), low stress mobilization during the task (B's = .46-.62, p < .049), and a robust inflammatory response (salivary C-reactive protein) during recovery (B's = .72-.94, p < .002).ConclusionCulturally relevant social perceptions may be linked to a specific pattern of changing alignment in biological components of the stress response. Better understanding these links may significantly advance understanding of stress-related illnesses and disparities