Male Role Norms, Heavy Drinking, and Bystander Behavior for Sexual Aggression

Abstract

Bystander training programs have proliferated on college campuses to prevent alcohol and non–alcohol-related sexual aggression. However, many programs fail to address the effects of a bystander’s alcohol use on intervention. This is not surprising due to the limited research examining this association. To this end, the present study examined how heavy drinking and a known correlate of intervention, men’s adherence to traditional masculinity, are jointly and independently associated with bystander behavior in drinking contexts. Participants were 148 community men between the ages of 21 and 30 who completed measures of heavy drinking, adherence to traditional male role norms, and prior bystander behavior in drinking contexts aimed at helping friends and strangers. Hierarchical linear regressions demonstrated that adherence to the belief that men should attain social status was associated with more frequent bystander behavior for friends, whereas adherence to the belief that men should avoid stereotypical feminine activities was associated with less frequent bystander behavior for friends. In addition, the relation between adherence to the belief that men should avoid stereotypical feminine activities and bystander behavior for friends was significant and negative among heavy drinkers but not among non-heavy drinkers. Findings suggest that men who avoid stereotypical feminine activities may be most inhibited from intervening to help friends in party contexts if they are heavy, compared with non-heavy, drinkers. These men are likely consuming alcohol in these party contexts and may benefit from targeted, gender-specific, interventions.

“I'm not batman” and other factors impacting bystander intervention against sexual violence in Australian nightlife settings

“…This reflects benevolent sexist attitudes towards women in adherence to traditional gender norms (see Glick & Fiske, 1996). This finding exposes a hidden dilemma with bystander programs that encourage men to intervene because it is possible that they could reinforce stereotypical gender beliefs if men assist women because they see themselves as protectors of women (see Leone & Parrott, 2021).…”

Influence of Masculinity and Femininity on Alcohol Consumption in Young People: A Scoping Review

“…In this regard, Leone and Parrot (36) assert that men may feel pressured to adhere to manly norms they proscribe, and alcohol intoxication probably facilitates their attention to these signals, which strengthens this association. An example of this is the study by Dumbili et al (37), in which men agreed that drinking is for social reasons, and for other reasons such as engaging in sexual negotiations, displaying masculinity, and obtaining social attention.…”

“…This stereotype has been reinforced by traditional views, where drinking is associated with masculinity and abstention with femininity (40). This association has also led to a significant interaction between antifemininity and excessive alcohol consumption (36). In some cases, male identity is constructed through the role of protector of women, which involves a discussion of physical strength (41).…”

Effectiveness of a Bystander Intervention Program to Increase Bystander Behaviors Across Latent Risk Groups of High Schoolers

“…Additionally, research has found that alcohol use is associated with lower rates of prosocial bystander attitudes (Orchowski et al, 2016), while increasing an intoxicated person’s self-efficacy to intervene (Leone et al, 2022). However, it does appear that people who are intoxicated or are frequent heavy drinkers intervene less frequently (Fleming et al, 2015; Leone et al, 2019; Orchoswki et al, 2018). Overall, it appears that alcohol use is an important element to consider in understanding bystander opportunities and actions.…”