Context, Drug Culture, and Language Response: An Analysis of Responses to Ambiguous Drug-Related Homographs

Abstract

Male and female drug users and nonusers were exposed to a set of ambiguous homographs relating to drug activities in an experimental context designed to emphasize awareness of group membership. Group membership showed greatest simple effect, with drug users responding with more drug-related choices for meanings than nonusers. The effects of sex and situational context on meaning choices were mediated by group membership. These findings raise the question of whether response differences were produced entirely by differing perception or were complex outgrowths of perception and efforts at self-presentation.