Examining the effects of alcohol-related sports sponsorship on teen attitudes and intentions.

Davies, Fiona Margaret 2007. Examining the effects of alcohol-related sports sponsorship on teen attitudes and intentions. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.

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Abstract

In the light of public concern about underage alcohol consumption, and increasing use of sport sponsorship to promote alcohol brands, this research investigates interrelationships between teenagers' drinking intentions, involvement in sport, and responses to sponsorship. A Theory of Reasoned Action - based model is proposed, which predicts alcohol use intentions from attitudes toward alcohol, subjective norms, sporting involvement, and awareness of, knowledge of, and response to sponsorship. Data was gathered from 14-15 year olds in five Cardiff schools. Results showed significant gender differences, with boys more involved in sport and more knowledgeable about sponsorship. As expected, positive attitudes toward alcohol consumption, and more favourable subjective norms, predicted higher likelihoods of alcohol use. Boys heavily involved in sport were significantly more likely to drink than those less involved, and believed that at age 18 they would drink more, and get drunk more often. Involvement in sport strengthened the influence of positive attitudes toward alcohol. Girls' results were less significant, but suggested that involvement in sport was linked to lower alcohol consumption. Additional sponsorship-related effects were comparatively small. For boys, awareness and knowledge of sponsorship tended to enhance the effect of sporting involvement, while decreasing the influence of parents and teachers. For girls, there was little evidence of any consistent sponsorship-related effect. Previous studies have shown normalisation of involvement with alcohol to occur in the mid-teens. This work suggests that for boys, sporting involvement encourages this normalisation, with attention to sponsorship playing a significant but lesser part. Thus legislation restricting sport sponsorship by alcohol brands would have little effect, unless part of a coordinated effort to weaken traditional links between sport and alcohol. Such cultural change would require not only commitment from many parties, but also recognition among the wider community of its desirability.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Business (Including Economics)
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure H Social Sciences > HF Commerce
ISBN:	9781303181610
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	19 Mar 2016 23:33
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/55640

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