A Field Study Examining the Effects of Alcohol, Bar Environment & Beliefs on Sexual Misperception, a Precursor to Sexual Aggression

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PROJECT SUMMARY Sexual aggression, which refers to a continuum of sexual activities with a nonconsenting partner from unwanted sexual contact to forced penetration1, is an intractable public health problem. Despite a substantial investment in prevention and intervention efforts, rates of sexual aggression perpetration remain high, with 26 – 42% of men self-reporting past perpetration of sexual aggression2. One pathway to sexual aggression perpetration that has received considerable attention and empirical support is sexual misperception, or the erroneous perception of a potential partner’s sexual interest or consent3-6. Sexual misperception shares several key risk factors with sexual aggression perpetration, making it a valuable intermediary mechanism for examining perpetration constructs. Specifically, both sexual misperception and sexual aggression perpetration are associated with alcohol intoxication6-12 and a constellation of attitudes collectively referred to as the Confluence Model4,5,13-18. Although evidence suggests acute intoxication and Confluence Model constructs interact to predict sexual misperception, the nature of this interaction is unclear and the underlying mechanisms remain unexamined. This proposal aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of alcohol and Confluence Model constructs on sexual misperception and directly assess this interaction through an alcohol myopia (AM) framework. AM theory posits that alcohol’s effects on behavior are driven by its ability to direct attention to impelling (“go”) cues and away from inhibiting (“stop”) cues19. Attention to these cues is also influenced by a priori knowledge structures20-22 such as those encapsulated in the Confluence Model and those activated by the environment. The proposed research will directly measure the impact of Confluence Model constructs on intoxicated men’s attention to impelling and inhibiting cues of sexual interest and the effects of attention to these cues on sexual misperception in a field setting. Conducting this research at drinking venues addresses several significant gaps in the literature, namely the generalizability of these processes and the effects of contextual cues, which have substantial potential to inform intervention design and evaluation. This proposal is commensurate with the candidate’s desire to develop a research program centered around understanding the mechanisms underpinning alcohol-involved sexual misperception and sexual aggression perpetration. Through the proposed research and training plan, the applicant will develop the skills and expertise needed to make a substantive contribution to alcohol and sexual aggression research as an independent clinical scientist.