Sorority Members Research Articles

How a publicized leader transgression can affect member outcomes and gift purchasing of associated symbolic products

PurposeThis study aims to examine the ramifications of an unfavorable public incident resulting from an organizational leader’s transgression on member outcomes and their intentions to purchase associated symbolic products as gifts. This study also considers how members’ attributions of organizational control affect the relationship between members’ organizational identification and their purchase behavior.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies a longitudinal design involving two rounds of data collection over two years to examine a case of leadership transgression. Using the customer panel of a privately owned retailer, sorority members were surveyed before and after an unfavorable public incident involving their president. This study applied t-tests of mean differences and regression analyses to test the hypotheses.FindingsAfter the leader’s transgressions were publicized, sorority members exhibited lower levels of cognitive organizational identification, satisfaction with the organization and purchase intention of organizational gifts. The association between cognitive organizational identification and gift purchase intentions was stronger after the incident. Further, controllability attributions positively moderated the association between cognitive organizational identification and the intended purchase quantity of organizational products after the incident.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample limits the generalizability of the findings, as the study is conducted on one case of a leader’s transgression in an identity-based organization (IBO).Practical implicationsThe findings imply that efforts to repair customer identification should be taken rather than satisfaction enhancement when a leader of an IBO commits a public transgression.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to apply identity threat theory to understand how an organizational leader’s public transgression affects member outcomes and purchasing. The findings imply that it is critical to repair members’ identification when these situations arise. The use of a real case and a longitudinal research design are rare contributions to this research stream.

A Scoping Review of Bystander-Based Sexual Violence Prevention Training for College Students in Fraternities and Sororities.

Bystander-based sexual violence (SV) prevention trainings are offered on college campuses across the United States to meet federal Title IX requirements, as they have proven to be an effective strategy for violence prevention. Greek-affiliated students (fraternity and sorority members) are at a higher risk of sexual assault than their peers; however, few trainings consider the specific needs of this population, and program adaptations for this high-risk group may be needed. This scoping review identifies and describes the bystander trainings delivered to Greek-affiliated students in the US and Canada. An eight-database search was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The review identified 81 unique sources, with 18 meeting the inclusion criteria. Eleven specific training programs were identified, encompassing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies. The thematic analysis revealed best practices, including the importance of peer leaders, interactive sessions, and tailored content to Greek culture, as well as barriers such as a lack of engagement and an inadequate session length. The review underscores the need for tailored interventions to effectively address the unique cultural characteristics and high-risk nature of Greek-affiliated students. These findings provide valuable insights for improving the design and implementation of bystander interventions to enhance their efficacy in preventing sexual violence within this population.

Is beauty worth the risk? Self-confidence is the key motivating factor driving tanning bed use among undergraduate students at South Dakota universities.

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is a leading risk factor for developing all types of skin cancer. In the United States, an estimated 7.8 million young adults engage in indoor tanning. Here, it is hypothesized that certain populations of students at undergraduate universities, namely sorority members, have a greater frequency of tanning bed usage than other groups of students and that regardless of sorority status, the most important motivating factor will be the intent to enhance one's appearance. Undergraduate students at 2 state-funded universities were recruited for participation in this institutional review board-exempt survey via distribution to e-mail addresses and social media accounts affiliated with student organizations/clubs. Among all respondents, the most common motivating factors for tanning bed use were the perception of improved self-appearance and boosted self-confidence. Female sorority members were more likely to use tanning beds and also more likely to report being motivated by enhanced appearance and self-confidence, than their female counterparts who were not sorority members. The sample size (n = 321) and population of this study allows data to only be generalizable to surrounding states with similar demographics. The findings of this study are subject to recall bias as the data is self-reported. Tanning bed use remains a popular practice among young people. Understanding motivations for tanning bed use among populations at increased risk of partaking in this behavior allows for educating these groups on the risks associated with ultraviolet radiation exposure. It is crucial that providers continue to promote skin health and take steps to dissuade detrimental practices and possible habit-forming behaviors at the individual and state levels.

Developing Relational Leaders Through Sorority Engagement: A Quantitative Approach

The purpose of this study was to understand what personal, environmental, and experiential aspects of undergraduate sorority engagement promote relational leadership development. A robust literature review and theories of relational leadership developed for application within the collegiate context provided the foundation for this inquiry. Through use of multilevel modeling, we analyzed a sample of 8,435 undergraduate National Panhellenic Conference sorority women from 172 institutions located within the United States. Results demonstrated the substantial importance of supportive sisterhood at both the individual and group level and showcased how variations in perceptions of sisterhood (e.g., accountability), student involvement (e.g., additional activities), and background characteristics (e.g., SES) affected undergraduate sorority members’ relational leadership development. We close by discussing our findings and offering implications for future practice and research.

Making Life Look Perfect and Glorifying the Sorority Chapter: A Content Analysis of Body Image, Social Media Use, and Disordered Eating in College Women

Social comparison is heightened by social media use and is linked to disordered eating. Compared to other developmental groups, emerging adults use social media most often. College-aged women and those who are members of sororities, which place a high value on appearance, may be especially vulnerable to social comparison and disordered eating. To learn about these topics, individual interviews and focus groups were conducted at a large university. A structured protocol covered body image, social media, disordered eating, and campus health programming. Most participants defined body image as externally focused, noting physical appearance. All interviewees talked about appearance with their peers and most had discussed weight and diet. All participants reported that their peers engaged in disordered eating. Instagram was the most influential social media platform and retouching software was universally used to alter the face or slim the body. Focus groups with sorority members elicited similar results. Instagram was the most common platform for chapter accounts and was used for recruitment. Participants noted that attractive members were featured most often and reported pressure to look good when wearing sorority letters. Social media is ingrained in society, making it critical to understand its influence on disordered eating in emerging adults.

Alcohol Consumption and Sexual-Consent Beliefs Among Sorority Members

Previous studies have indicated that sorority members engage in high-risk alcohol consumption, putting them at increased risk of sexual victimization. In the current study, we examined the associations between sorority members’ adherence to myths about sexual consent and assault related to alcohol misuse. Findings from the responses of 110 sorority members indicate that alcohol misuse is positively associated with personal belief alignment with common rape myths. We discuss implications for university administrators and college counselors.

Not “slated” for leadership: Barriers and unclear leadership development pathways in Panhellenic sorority members

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities promote leadership development and student learning as membership benefits. However, many women may not gain these experiences if they are not selected or placed on the leadership slate to be collectively voted into an executive position because the emphasis is on positional development. T here is little research that nuances the different ways in which sorority women experience leadership development within their chapters. This qualitative study explored the leadership experiences of NPC sorority women who obtained leadership experiences to nuance to what extent sororities facilitate these experiences. It was found that not all members have equal access to these leadership opportunities, as there are structural barriers and unclear pathways for leadership development. Members sought non-traditional forms of leadership development without the context of connecting their own member experiences. Implications for practice are included to integrate findings from this study to inform practice for student involvement professionals, which may help improve programming and the experience provided to their student leaders.

Comparison of Sorority and non-Sorority Women: Risks for Different Sexual Assault Types

ABSTRACT Though rates of sexual assault are high among college women, some studies find even greater prevalence rates among women who are sorority members. This study examined the association between familial risk factors (e.g., child physical abuse), PTSD symptoms, and proximal risk factors (e.g., sexual risk behavior) with three sexual assault types (i.e., coercive, incapacitated by alcohol or drugs, and physically forced) among sorority and non-sorority women at a large Midwestern university. Participants completed a paper-and-pencil survey that included measures of different sexual assault types, childhood maltreatment, parental rejection, PTSD symptoms, and sexual and substance use behaviors. A fully recursive path model was estimated to examine the pathways to three different sexual assault types. Results revealed that sorority women experienced coercive and incapacitated sexual assault more so than non-sorority women though there was no significant difference for physically forced sexual assault. Sorority women also reported engaging in more sexual risk behaviors, which was in turn, associated with all three sexual assault types. Sorority women also reported heavier alcohol use, which in turn, was positively associated with coercive and incapacitated sexual assault. These findings have implications for prevention among college undergraduate women.

Examining Emailed Feedback as Boosters After a College Drinking Intervention Among Fraternities and Sororities: Rationale and Protocol for a Remote Controlled Trial (Project Greek).

College students involved in Greek life (ie, members of fraternities and sororities) tend to engage in more high-risk alcohol use and experience more negative consequences than those not involved in Greek life. Web-based alcohol interventions, such as Alcohol eCHECKUP TO GO, have been successful in reducing alcohol use and consequences among the general college student population, but interventions targeting alcohol reduction among those involved in Greek life have had limited success. Booster emails including personalized feedback regarding descriptive norms and protective behavioral strategies have shown potential in increasing the effectiveness of web-based interventions among college drinkers. Studies are needed to determine the efficacy of these boosters among those involved in Greek life. The primary objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of booster emails sent to Greek life students who complete Alcohol eCHECKUP TO GO. Specifically, we expect that participants who receive the booster emails will reduce their alcohol consumption and related problems (primary aim 1), reduce perceived peer drinking, and increase the number of protective behavioral strategies they use over time (primary aim 2) relative to those who do not receive boosters. Contingent upon finding the emailed booster efficacious and sufficient enrollment of members from each organization, an exploratory aim is to examine social mechanisms of change (ie, through selection vs socialization). This study is a remote, controlled intervention trial following participants for up to 6 months. Participants must be aged at least 18 years, undergraduate students, and members of a participating fraternity or sorority. Eligible participants complete a web-based baseline survey to assess their alcohol consumption behaviors and beliefs, including norms and protective behavioral strategies, and information about their social networks. After completing the baseline survey, they participate in the web-based intervention. Follow-up surveys are sent 1, 3, and 6 months after the intervention. Those in the booster condition also receive emails containing personalized feedback at 2 weeks and 14 weeks after the intervention. Latent growth models and R-Simulation Investigation for Empirical Network Analysis will be used to analyze the data. As of September 2022, we have enrolled 18 participants from 2 fraternities and 2 sororities, and they have completed the baseline survey. Overall, 72% (13/18) of participants have completed the 1-month follow-up. Enrollment will continue through December 2022. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of personalized feedback booster emails sent after an alcohol intervention among members of college Greek life. A secondary, exploratory aim is to provide information about social mechanisms of change (if possible). The current methodology targets whole network recruitment, with chapter presidents serving as gatekeepers and facilitators. Unique challenges of recruiting whole networks and working with campus administrators are discussed. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05107284; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05107284. DERR1-10.2196/42535.

Greek myth or fact? The role of Greek houses in alcohol and drug violations on American campuses

ABSTRACT Greek-letter student social groups, better known as fraternities and sororities, are a ubiquitous feature on many American higher education campuses. These organizations, especially fraternities, have a reputation for encouraging unruly and improper behaviour among both members and non-members. This paper investigates the effect of the degree of prevalence of these Greek organizations at a campus, as measured by the percentage of students who are members of fraternities and sororities, on the instances of liquor and drug law violations on campuses, as measured by the number of arrests for liquor and drug laws violations. Using a unique dataset, which combines data from three sources, we address any potential selection bias by including several controls associated with party culture and through the inclusion of institution-level fixed effects. We find that a larger percentage of students in fraternities (but not sororities) is associated with an increase in the number of arrests for drug law violations. A larger percentage of students in sororities (but not the percentage of students in fraternities) is associated with a larger number of arrests for liquor law violations. This result is highly significant and is robust across various specifications.

Committed Commenting and the Virtual Visage: Contextualizing Sorority Social Media Encounters

This article addresses the ways in which collegiate sorority women deploy sorority-specific aesthetic cues to construct socially acceptable and recognizable presentations of themselves online. I suggest that sorority members initiate and invite social media interaction as a means of parlaying their own media posts into discursive sites, thereby participating in a complex and considerably stratified economy of display and recognition. Sorority members also exert social capital through public demonstrations of social network linkages— demonstrations which can only be performed successfully if one maintains legitimacy and good standing within the media economy. I probe the implications of theorizing social media posting (particularly to the digital media platform Instagram) as a communal art creation practice that strengthens group social linkages and reifies communally observed aesthetic guidelines. I also address the stylistic and discursive regimens that shape expectations of media presentation, contrasting these practices with the comparatively candid and informal presentation styles exemplified in Fake Instagram (“finsta”) posting behaviors.

Safe Sisters Program Offers Support to Sorority Members

Safe Sisters Program Offers Support to Sorority Members

Safe Sisters program offers support to sorority members

The most effective bystander intervention programs don't fall into a one‐size‐fits‐all framework but rather are tailored to meet the needs of particular groups. A fitting example is the Indiana University Bloomington Safe Sisters program, which has shown promising results as a bystander intervention method specifically designed to support, educate, and empower sorority members, according to Rachel P. Feldwisch, Ph.D.

Dating Violence and the Impact of Technology: Examining the Lived Experiences of Sorority Members.

Dating violence (DV) is pervasive on college campuses with far-reaching health implications. We examined 70 sorority members' lived experiences with DV and explored the role of technology. Experience, perpetration, exposure, support systems, and conceptualization of DV were assessed, and sorority members engaged in small focus groups to examine their lived experiences. Emerging themes included (a) normalization of unhealthy behaviors, (b) technology and the experience of violence, and (c) sources of support and coping. Findings included significant correlations between the experience and perpetration of DV. Results highlight the need for peer intervention and prevention programming and infusing technology in constructive ways.

Fraternity and sorority membership and risky sexual behavior

Objectives: To determine the impact of fraternity and sorority membership on condom use during sex. Methods: Utilizing data from The American College Health Association (ACHA) National College Health Assessment from 2016-2018, we estimated a linear probability, logistic, and instrumental variable model to determine the relationship between fraternity and sorority membership and the frequency of condom use during sex. Results: Compared to non-fraternity members, fraternity members experience an increase in sex without a condom for both oral sex (13.5%, 95% ci= 0.048, 0.221) and anal sex (28.5%, 95% ci= 0.174, 0.396). Compared to non-sorority members, sorority members are more likely to engage in oral sex without a condom. This result is not robust to single sorority members. Conclusions: Fraternity membership increases the probability of risky oral and anal sex. Policy Implications: The reduced use of condoms has implications on sexual health including an increased risk of contracting or spreading sexually transmitted infections.

Greek Myth or Fact? The Role of Greek Houses in Alcohol and Drug Violations on American Campuses

Greek-letter student social groups, better known as fraternities and sororities, are a ubiquitous feature on many American higher education campuses. These organizations, especially fraternities, have a reputation for encouraging unruly and improper behavior among both members and non-members. This paper investigates the effect of the degree of prevalence of these Greek organizations at a campus, as measured by the percentage of students who are members of fraternities and sororities, on the instances of liquor and drug law violations on campuses, as measured by the number of arrests for liquor and drug laws violations. Using a unique dataset, which combines data from three sources, we find that a larger percentage of students in fraternities (but not sororities) is associated with an increase in the number of arrests for drug law violations. A larger percentage of students in sororities (but not the percentage of students in fraternities) is associated with a larger number of arrests for liquor law violations. This result is highly significant and is robust across various specifications.

Safe Sisters program offers support to sorority members

The most effective bystander intervention programs don't fall into a one‐size‐fits‐all framework, but rather are tailored to meet the needs of particular groups. A fitting example is the Indiana University Bloomington Safe Sisters program, which has shown promising results as a bystander intervention method specifically designed to support, educate, and empower sorority members, according to Rachel P. Feldwisch, Ph.D.

Cost of Responding to the 2017 University of Washington Mumps Outbreak: A Prospective Analysis.

To estimate costs of labor and materials by the University of Washington (UW) and state and local public health departments (PHDs) to respond to the February to June 2017 UW mumps outbreak, where 42 cases were identified among students (primarily sorority and fraternity members), staff, and associated community members. We applied standard cost analysis methodology using a combined public health and university perspective to examine the cost of responding to the outbreak. UW's Seattle campus encompasses 703 acres with approximately 32 000 undergraduate students. Nearly 15% of the undergraduate population are members of fraternities or sororities. Housing for the fraternities and sororities is adjacent to the UW campus and consists of 50 houses. During the outbreak, customized costing tools based on relevant staff or faculty positions and activities were provided to the UW and Public Health-Seattle & King County, populated by each person participating in the outbreak response, and then collected and analyzed. Laboratory hours and material costs were collected from the Washington Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Health. Labor and material costs provided by the UW and PHDs during the outbreak were collected and categorized by payer and activity. Total costs to the UW and PHDs in responding to the outbreak were $282 762 ($6692 per case). Of these, the UW spent $160 064, while PHDs spent $122 098. Labor accounted for 77% of total outbreak costs, and UW response planning and coordination accounted for the largest amount of labor costs ($75 493) overall. Given the current university and public health department budget constraints, the response to the outbreak amounted to a significant use of resources. Labor was the largest driver of costs for the outbreak response; UW labor costs-related to campus response planning and coordination-dominated the total economic burden from public health and university perspectives.

Legally Blonde: Is Pink the New Black?

Stacey Caplow once lamented that female attorneys were “still waiting in the… hopes of finding [their] Atticus Finch”. Legally Blonde does nothing to change that aspiration as the protagonist, Elle Woods, is far from the apostle-like Finch as portrayed by Gregory Peck. Yet, for a movie that is replete with stereotypes, be it the effusively portrayed Southern California sorority members or the uptight, snooty students at Harvard Law School, Legally Blonde has left a surprisingly indelible impression on popular psyche through a lasting message that transcends its bubblegum pink exterior. The reviewer has divided the multiple themes in the movie into two broad categories. First, a feminist perspective of the movie and second, an analysis of the legal connect evident in the movie.

Cigarette, waterpipe, and electronic cigarette use among college fraternity and sorority members and athletes in the United States

Objective To examine the association between fraternity/sorority membership and athlete status with tobacco use by tobacco product type. Participants: Undergraduate college students who participated in the Spring 2017 National College Health Assessment-II Survey (n = 47,821). Methods: Prevalence of current (past-30 day) cigarette smoking, waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS), and e-cigarette (ECIG) use was examined. Logistic regressions examined associations between fraternity/sorority membership and participation in collegiate athletics with tobacco use. Results: Fraternity/sorority members had the highest current use rates for cigarettes, waterpipe tobacco, and ECIGs and were nearly twice as likely to report cigarette smoking, WTS, and ECIG use relative to non-fraternity/sorority members. Relative to non-varsity athletes, varsity athletes were less likely to report cigarette smoking and WTS, but not ECIG use. Conclusions: Fraternity/sorority members appear to be at risk for use of multiple tobacco products. Varsity athlete status may be protective for some tobacco products, but does not appear no for ECIG use. ECIGs may appeal to groups typically at low risk for other tobacco products.