WHY DO ADOLESCENTS LIE IN THE SUN WHEN THEY KNOW IT IS RISKY? CONTEXTUALIZING THE ‘ATTITUDE-BEHAVIOR’ GAP AND THE ‘OPTIMISTIC BIAS’ AS VERBAL BEHAVIOR

Abstract

This research used a discursive or behavioral analysis of adolescent females talking about tanning and sun exposure to contextualize two ‘cognitive processes’ (attitude-behavior inconsistencies and the ‘optimistic bias’) in terms of strategic social conversations.  Thirty adolescent females demonstrated knowledge of both the risks of sun exposure and appropriate sun protective behavior, even though they were not acting appropriately.  Their conversations showed some similar verbal strategies to those of Coupland, Holmes and Coupland (1998) but there were fewer justifications or excuses given for the inconsistencies between attitude and behavior.  It was suggested that this was not due to ‘cognitive biases’ but due to the social context of not being prompted by the interviews as in the previous study, and from having friends present who might challenge or laugh at any attempt to justify their attitude-behavior gap.  The ‘optimistic bias’ and other parts of their discourse were shown to be due to strategically switching between using either specific cases (usually themselves) or general cases (what is good for ‘society’).  The implications and advantages of re-contextualizing ‘cognitive processes’ as observable verbal behaviors are discussed.  On a practical level, this research helps us understand why adolescents and others agree or know that there are health risks and yet carry out those risky behaviors.