Online and Offline Conversations About Alcohol: Comparing the Effects of Familiar and Unfamiliar Discussion Partners

Hanneke Hendriks,Gert-Jan De Bruijn,Orla Meehan,Bas Van Den Putte

doi:10.1080/10810730.2016.1153766

Hanneke Hendriks, Gert-Jan De Bruijn + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2016.1153766

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Abstract

Although research has demonstrated that interpersonal communication about alcohol influences drinking behaviors, this notion has mainly been examined in offline contexts with familiar conversation partners. The present study investigated how communication mode and familiarity influence conversational valence (i.e., how negatively or positively people talk) and binge drinking norms. During a 2 (offline vs. online communication) × 2 (unfamiliar vs. familiar conversation partner) lab experiment, participants (N = 76) were exposed to an anti–binge drinking campaign, after which they discussed binge drinking and the campaign. Binge drinking norms were measured 1 week before and directly after the discussion. Results revealed that conversations between unfamiliar conversation partners were positive about the campaign, especially in offline settings, subsequently leading to healthier binge drinking norms. We recommend that researchers further investigate the influence of communication mode and familiarity on discussion effects, and we suggest that health promotion attempts might benefit from eliciting conversations about anti–binge drinking campaigns between unfamiliar persons.

Highlights

IntroductionThe present study investigated how communication mode and familiarity influence conversational valence (i.e., how negatively or positively people talk) and binge drinking norms
We recommend that researchers further investigate the influence of communication mode and familiarity on discussion effects, and we suggest that health promotion attempts might benefit from eliciting conversations about anti–binge drinking campaigns between unfamiliar persons
The results suggest that the effects of familiarity depend on communication mode; that is, the effects of familiarity are especially visible in offline settings, thereby confirming Hypothesis 3

Summary

Introduction

The present study investigated how communication mode and familiarity influence conversational valence (i.e., how negatively or positively people talk) and binge drinking norms. We recommend that researchers further investigate the influence of communication mode and familiarity on discussion effects, and we suggest that health promotion attempts might benefit from eliciting conversations about anti–binge drinking campaigns between unfamiliar persons. Several recent studies have shown that how negatively or positively people talk (i.e., conversational valence) about binge drinking and anti–binge drinking campaigns influences drinking behaviors (e.g., Hendriks, De Bruijn, & Van den Putte, 2012; Hendriks, Van den Putte, & De Bruijn, 2014; Real & Rimal, 2007). Interpersonal communication can focus on the topic itself (e.g., alcohol consumption) or related media messages (e.g., anti– binge drinking campaigns; Van den Putte et al, 2011). They revealed that young people often discuss personal experiences with alcohol in an approving manner but talk more disapprovingly about media messages such as anti–binge drinking campaigns (see Dorsey, Scherer, & Real, 1999; Hendriks et al, 2012, 2014; Hendriks & De Bruijn, 2015)

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