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UV photography, masculinity, and college men’s sun protection cognitions

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Abstract

This study examined the impact of an ultraviolet (UV) photography intervention and masculinity on college men’s sun protection cognitions, including: perceived vulnerability to skin damage, attitudes toward sun protection, willingness to engage in sun protection behaviors, and intentions to receive a skin cancer exam. After completing a baseline survey, participants (N = 152) viewed a black-and-white photo of their face. Half also viewed a photo showing their UV damage. Participants then completed a second survey assessing sun protection cognitions. Regressions revealed that masculinity predicted lower sun protection cognitions, and men in the UV photograph condition reported higher sun protection cognitions. Masculinity by condition interactions showed that the positive effect of UV photography was stronger among masculine men. Negative associations between masculinity and sun protection cognitions were significant only among men who did not receive the intervention. Findings suggest that UV photography is a promising sun protection intervention among masculine men.

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Notes

  1. Another purpose of this study was to examine the causal impact of masculinity on sun protection cognitions. Prior to the UV photograph manipulation, participants were randomly assigned to be either primed or not primed with masculine words. We hypothesized that men in the masculine priming condition would report less protective cognitions and that this condition would moderate the effects of viewing one’s UV photograph. However, analyses showed no main effects of the priming condition and no interaction with the UV photograph condition on any of the sun protection cognitions. The priming condition also did not pass the manipulation check and therefore was not included in the present analyses. When priming condition was included as a control variable in the final regressions, the results did not change.

  2. Independent samples t-tests revealed that White and non-White participants did not differ in levels of self-reported masculinity.

  3. Twelve participants were missing data for four or fewer items on the masculinity scale. A value was imputed for each of these missing data points based on the individual participants’ mean scores on the relevant masculinity subscale. The results did not differ when these participants were excluded from the final analyses.

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  1. Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA

    Laura A. Walsh & Michelle L. Stock

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  1. Laura A. Walsh
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  2. Michelle L. Stock
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Correspondence to Laura A. Walsh.

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Walsh, L.A., Stock, M.L. UV photography, masculinity, and college men’s sun protection cognitions. J Behav Med 35, 431–442 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-011-9372-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-011-9372-2

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