College Students' Evaluations of Heavy Drinking: The Influence of Gender, Age, and College Status

College students tend not to view their drinking as problematic despite negative consequences. Nevertheless, excessive drinking tends to desist when students graduate. We examined how college drinking is influenced by attitudes and perceived norms using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). Using standardized vignettes, we assessed the extent to which age, gender, and college status influenced student evaluations of heavy drinking. Vignettes describing a heavy drinker who was older, male, and/or a full-time employee were judged more negatively than vignettes describing a person with the same drinking habits and consequences but who was younger, female, and/or a full-time student. Interventions aimed at altering attitudes and perceived norms for college drinking may prove useful in altering drinking behavior.