"Hold my beer": Masculine honor beliefs and perceptions of undergraduate alcohol consumption.

Abstract

Objective: We assessed how Masculine Honor Beliefs (MHB: i.e., beliefs that aggression is sometimes justifiable) relate to perceptions of and engagement in alcohol consumption. Participants: 149 undergraduates who reported drinking alcohol primarily identified as White (89%), heterosexual (86%), women (70%), and first-year students (61%), with a mean age of 19.14. Method: Participants completed a survey about their drinking frequency, preferences, expectations, and behaviors. Results: Drinkers higher in MHB had higher alcohol consumption, preferred beer and dark liquor, and reported feeling more social, relaxed, and confident when drinking. They were also more inclined to take risks, play and win drinking games, outdrink others, and avoid a feminine drinking reputation. Men higher in MHB were less concerned with knowing their drinking limits and embarrassing themselves while drunk. Conclusions: MHB are associated with greater consumption and more positive perceptions of undergraduate alcohol consumption, likely because it can improve one's status among peers.