Gender Differences in Attributions About Suicide and Alcohol use

Attributions that female & male psychology students (n=96) made about a suicide victim were examined. The gender of the victim & whether alcohol use was involved was systematically varied. Female respondents tended to emphasize contextual clues such as alcohol use & gender of the actor. Both female & male respondents tended to associate alcohol use & suicide with males but not females. Results are discussed in terms of stereotypes that may be held about emotional expression & alcohol use.