While a negative relationship between rape myth acceptance (RMA) and bystander behavior is established, the specific myths associated with bystander behavior are not well understood. In Study 1, we presented 260 participants with vignettes manipulating clothing and alcohol intake of a woman victim to see how it affected intention to help. In Study 2, we presented 247 participants with similar vignettes, manipulating alcohol intake and relationship with the bystander. Contrary to previous research on RMA, participants were significantly more willing to intervene if the woman was intoxicated. Intervention also depended upon the participants’ relationship to the woman: stranger or acquaintance.

University-based academic advising at a large, Great Lakes state institution was designed to support first-year students' transition to college. We conducted individual interviews and facilitated story circles with 162 students to determine their perceived effectiveness of advising. Analyses revealed four overarching themes: student difficulty making the distinction between roles of high school guidance counselors and postsecondary academic advisors, advisor communication, student desire for a relationship, and advisor accessibility. On the basis of data gathered, we developed a model for understanding the formation and maintenance of student advising perceptions.

Descriptive and injunctive norms have been shown to influence people's perceptions of what actions are considered appropriate, but they are frequently based on misperceptions. Men and women often hold varying perceptions with regards to sexual attitudes and behaviors. One hundred fifty-six heterosexual freshman women and 135 heterosexual freshman men were surveyed about their own sexually permissive attitudes and behaviors and their perceptions of their best friend's and the average same-sex freshman's attitudes and behaviors. We anticipated and found that women and men perceived a three-tiered significant difference in sexually permissive attitudes, with participants reporting the least permissive attitudes while reporting the perception that the average freshman had the most permissive attitudes. Differing results were found for the tiered differences for sexual intercourse and giving and receiving oral sex. In general, women's own number of sexual partners was related to their own sexually permissive attitudes and their perceptions of others' attitudes and behaviors. In contrast, men's own number of sexual partners was typically only influenced by their own sexually permissive attitudes and their perceptions of other men's behaviors. Ultimately, women's behaviors are influenced by perceptions of others' actions and beliefs in addition to their own beliefs, whereas men's behaviors are influenced only by their own beliefs and their perceptions of others' behaviors.

People's bodies are not marked or experienced as "old" in a universal manner but rather the perception varies by gender, race, ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation.

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