NCT03956238

Alcohol Myopia, Objectification, and Sexual Assault

Integrating Alcohol Myopia and Objectification to Understand Sexual Assault

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 359 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Nebraska Lincoln · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years – 30 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The present project integrates previous research on factors associated with alcohol-involved sexual assault, with research on how intoxication alters attention and social perceptions in ways that increase the risk of sexual aggression and victimization. Specifically, this project examines whether alcohol intoxication on the part of a male perpetrator impairs attentional capacity and leads to a narrowing of the perceptual field causing a dehumanizing perspective of women as sexual objects for men's pleasure rather than individuals with thoughts and feelings, thereby increasing the propensity for sexual aggression. The present research also examines whether women's responses to this sexual objectification from men interfere with risk perception in sexual situations, particularly when women are drinking, increasing the likelihood of sexual victimization.

Detailed description

These studies will provide a comprehensive test of our proposed model of alcohol-involved sexual assault that includes situation-specific mechanisms and key moderators of sexual violence. Specifically, hypotheses will be tested in the context of two carefully controlled laboratory studies. In Study 1, laboratory alcohol administration procedures will be used to manipulate intoxication (vs. placebo control) in men. Impaired attention and objectification will then be measured multi-modally including behavioral, self-report, and implicit measures. Finally, sexual aggression will be measured with a laboratory-based analogue of sexual assault. Study 2 will include women and follow the same alcohol administration procedures as Study 1. Additionally, mirroring men's objectification, objectifying gazes (vs. eye gazes) will also be manipulated. Impaired attention, self-objectification, and decreased sexual risk perceptions will then be assessed. Prior the laboratory visit, all participants will complete a battery of questionnaires to assess key moderators including a history of sexual assault perpetration and victimization, prior sexual objectification and self-objectification, as well as alcohol-related sex expectances and rape myth acceptance. The overall model will be analyzed within a conditional process model framework.

Conditions

• Alcoholic Intoxication

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Alcohol intoxication	Men and women assigned to moderate alcohol dose condition (target BAC .08%) or placebo control condition with NIAAA approved alcohol administration procedures
BEHAVIORAL	Objectification	Women assigned to objectifying gazes condition or eye contact control condition

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-04-22
• Primary completion: 2022-12-31
• Completion: 2022-12-31
• First posted: 2019-05-20
• Last updated: 2023-07-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States