Small Group Social Norms Intervention With Students Involved In Greek Life

Abstract

The misuse of alcohol is often a concern on college campuses nationwide. This concern has created a need for effective alcohol interventions to reduce alcohol misuse. This study investigated college student's perceptions about peer alcohol usage and one's own actual alcohol consumption. A social norms presentation was used to with seven Greek letter organizations to attempt to correct the misperceptions students have about their peers alcohol consumption, and therefore reduce the amount of alcohol consumed. A total of 68 individuals completed all elements ofthe project relevant to this study, of which 22 were male and 46 were female. Furthermore, 17 individuals were in the control group and 49 in the experimental group. Men tended to overestimate the amount of consumption more than females. In general, the participants rated the intervention as being believable. However, the social norms did not significantly reduce the groups' alcohol consumption. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Date of Award	2005
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	Eastern Illinois University
Supervisor	Caridad F. Brito (Supervisor)