The Effect of Alcohol and Sexual Arousal on Explicit and Implicit Condom Attitudes and Intentions to Use a Condom

Abstract

Alcohol and sexual arousal are contextual determinants of condomless sex. Dual-process theory postulates that two types of cognitive processing contribute to the regulation of behavior: one that is fast, intuitive and automatic, and another that is slower and deliberative. This study applied a dual-process model to investigate condomless sexual behavior, highlighting the potential importance of implicit attitudes in condomless sex. We investigated whether the impact of alcohol and sexual arousal on condom use-related attitudes and intentions was explained by diminished working memory capacity, as dual-process models suggest. We also investigated whether this effect could be explained by implicit and explicit attitudes toward condom use. Male participants (N = 30) were randomized using a 2 × 2 within-subjects design that manipulated alcohol intoxication (placebo vs. alcohol beverages) and sexual arousal (neutral vs. erotic movie clips). We measured participants’ working memory capacity, intentions to use a condom, and explicit and implicit attitudes toward condom use. Significant main effects of alcohol intoxication and sexual arousal on working memory capacity were found. No significant interaction was found for the combined effect of alcohol intoxication and sexual arousal on intentions to use a condom. There was no significant effect of implicit attitudes on intentions to use a condom, although a trend toward significance (p = 0.06) was found for the effect of implicit attitudes on intentions to use a condom when participants were in a state of alcohol intoxication. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.

Wolfs et al. - Review Alcohol sexual arousal and condom use intentions 4-4-2023

“…These models have been used to explain decision making in other health-related fields but, to our knowledge, only two studies have been published that applied these dual-process models to explain sexual risk taking. 60,79 As predicted 39 , Wolfs et al 60 found that condom use intentions were predicted by explicit condom use attitudes in a sexually neutral condition, whereas condom use intentions were predicted by both explicit and implicit attitudes in a sexually aroused state. In another study 79 the effects of implicit and explicit condom use attitudes on condom use intentions was investigated, while manipulating both alcohol intoxication and sexual arousal.…”

“…60,79 As predicted 39 , Wolfs et al 60 found that condom use intentions were predicted by explicit condom use attitudes in a sexually neutral condition, whereas condom use intentions were predicted by both explicit and implicit attitudes in a sexually aroused state. In another study 79 the effects of implicit and explicit condom use attitudes on condom use intentions was investigated, while manipulating both alcohol intoxication and sexual arousal. Explicit attitudes had the strongest effect on condom use intentions when participants were both sober and not sexually aroused; this effect was smaller when participants were intoxicated and sexually aroused.…”

Ego depletion and implicit and explicit determinants of condom use intentions: an experimental study among young men

“…However, when they were sexually aroused, their condom use intentions were predicted by both explicit and implicit attitudes. A second lab study ( Wolfs et al ., 2022a ) tested the impact of implicit and explicit attitudes towards condoms on condom use intentions, while both alcohol intoxication and sexual arousal were manipulated. The strongest effect of explicit attitudes on condom use intentions was found when participants were sober and not sexually aroused; this effect was smaller in the intoxicated and sexually aroused conditions.…”