The Impact of Condom Advertisements on Young Adults' Perceptions of Condoms

Abstract

Previous research shows that more positive attitudes toward condoms can increase their likelihood of use. Current CDC statistics show that the rate of sexually-transmitted infections is on the rise in the US, especially among young people, making it crucial to understand how to most effectively increase condom use among this age group. This study seeks to understand how the media young people are exposed to may be impacting their attitudes towards condoms. It uses a survey experiment to test how pleasure-based and risk-based advertising impacts perceptions of condom use in a vignette of a sexual encounter, as well as how the advertisement and condom use impact perceptions of the sexual encounter itself. I find that a risk-based advertisement may be slightly more effective at increasing condom use than a pleasure based advertising. I also find that increased perceived likelihood of condom use increases positive perceptions of the sexual encounter and decreases perceived regrets. There is also a gender effect, in which the sexual encounter is perceived as more positive and pleasurable and less regrettable for the male participant in the encounter than the female.