Inhibitory effects of drinker
and nondrinker prototypes on adolescent alcohol consumption
Meg Gerrard,
Frederick X. Gibbons, Monica Reis-Bergan, Linda
Trudeau, Linda S. Vande Lune,
Bram P. Buunk
(2002) Health Psychology,
21(6), 601-609.
This prospective study examined
the relation between 308 adolescents' images of typical drinkers and
nondrinkers and their subsequent alcohol consumption. The results indicate the both images are
associated with changes in consumption between ages 16 and 18 but that they
operate in different ways. Contrary to
previous assumption, drinker images do not represent goal states for
adolescents in that they are more negative than their self-images and
nondrinker images and are not correlated with their ideal selves. In contrast, nondrinker images do appear to
represent goal state for adolescents who abstain from drinking. Implications for intervention are discussed.