Although anabolic steroid (AS) use has been associated with negative physical and psychological effects, use of AS has continued. Recently, psychosocial factors have been hypothesized to be important in understanding AS use. This study focused on perceptions that three populations (AS‐using athletes, nonusing athletes, and general nonusers) have of AS users. In Experiment 1, 22 AS users (bodybuilders and power‐lifters) read a description of a bodybuilder and rated their perceptions of that athlete. Results indicated that an AS using bodybuilder was rated similarly to a diet‐conscious bodybuilder and significantly more positively than a cocaine‐using bodybuilder. In Experiment 2, 43 nonusing bodybuilders perceived an AS‐using athlete no differently than a nonusing athlete. In Experiment 3, 254 undergraduates rated an AS‐using bodybuilder significantly less positively than a diet‐conscious athlete and a cheater, but no differently than a cocaine user. Implications of the different patterns of ratings made by the three groups of subjects are presented. The utility of considering psychosocial factors when implementing AS prevention programs is discussed.

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