Self-Reported Alcohol Expectancies and Postdrinking Sexual Inferences About Women’ WILLIAM H. GEORGE,* KELLY 1,. CUE, PETER A. LOPEZ, LEIF c . CROWE, AND JEANETTE NORRIS Universiy of Washington In evaluating dating scenarios, perceivers tend to infer more sexual responsiveness for drinking than nondrinking daters. The origin ofthese postdrinking sexual inferences has not previously been examined. In the present study, we considered whether per- ceivers’ alcohol expectancies would influence these inferences. Male and female subjects completed a brief expectancy measure, read a vignette depicting a beer- drinking or cola-drinking woman, and evaluated the targeted woman. Multiple-re- gression equations were computed to test a replication hypothesis and an interaction hypothesis. In support of the replication hypothesis, subjects rated the beer-drinking woman as more sexual than her cola-drinking counterpart. In support of the interaction hypothesis, male but not female subjects exhibited the predicted expectancy by drink interaction. High expectancy men but not low expectancy men rated the beer-drinking woman as more likely to engage in sexual behaviors than the cola-drinking woman. This finding was evident on behaviorally specific measures, but not on trait-like measures. The roles of stereotypes and alcohol expectancies as determinants of post- drinking sexual inferences are discussed. The claim that alcohol has aphrodisiac properties is long-standing. Culture and lore are replete with emblematic examples, such as champagne with the wedding night and wine with the romantic dinner. Reviews of pertinent experi- mentation show that alcohol’s effects on sexuality are quite complex (Crowe & George, 1989; George & Norris, 1991; L.ang, 1985; Leigh, 1990; Wilsnack, 1984; Wilson, 1977, 1981). Some of the complexity derives from the recogni- tion that alcohol consumption can be split heuristically into two elements, actual alcohol content and alcohol expectancy; and that these elements have somewhat different effects on sexual responding. There is, in fact, a paradox: Alcohol content generally suppresses physical sexual responding, but alcohol expectancy is generally associated with enhanced sexual responding. ‘Conduct of this research was supported in part by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA06776) to William H. George. Appreciation is expressed to Anne Fors and the undergraduate assistants for their aid in data collection. 2Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to William H. George, De- partment of Psychology, NI-25, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. 164 Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1995, 25, 2, pp. 164-186. Copyright 0 1995 by V. H. Winston 8 Son, Inc. All rights reserved.