COMMUNICATION RESEARCH • June 2002 Andsager et al. • Gender and Alcohol-Related Messages JULIE L. ANDSAGER ERICA WEINTRAUB AUSTIN BRUCE E. PINKLETON Gender as a Variable in Interpretation of Alcohol-Related Messages Research suggests that adolescents employ logic and emotion in processing media messages. Gender schema theory argues that gender roles are internal- ized by adolescence; gender should thus affect information processing. This study exposed 578 ninth and twelfth graders to eight alcohol-related mes- sages. Boys found individualistic messages in alcohol advertising more per- suasive and memorable, and girls were more persuaded by collectivist mes- sages in public-service announcements. The findings suggest that gender should be incorporated in models attempting to understand how adolescents analyze messages. Despite the fact that alcohol consumption by minors is illegal, children and adolescents are exposed to alcohol messages on television on a regular basis. Whether intentionally or not, alcohol advertising incorporates several devices that make its messages appealing to young people, such as present- ing the product as strictly for adults or using cute animals or cartoon charac- ters (Kilbourne, 1999). Products featuring alcohol logos appeal to adoles- cents, encouraging them to expect alcohol consumption to be a positive experience, a belief that predicts drinking behavior (Austin, Pinkleton, & Fujioka, 2000). From adolescents to adults, many studies have found positive links between alcohol advertising and favorable attitudes and behaviors regarding alcohol (e.g., Aitken, Leathar, & Scott, 1988; Atkin, Hocking, & Block, 1984; Atkin, Neuendorf, & McDermott, 1983; Austin & Meili, 1994; Grube & Wallack, 1994; Wallack, Cassady, & Grube, 1990). This suggests that regard- less of whether advertising has a causal relationship with drinking, it does have a strong relationship with alcohol consumption. The purpose of this 246 COMMUNICATION RESEARCH, Vol. 29 No. 3, June 2002 246-269 © 2002 Sage Publications