College Students' Definitions of Social and Problem Drinking

College students (N = 276) completed surveys describing two common drinking situations. One scenario described a student alone in an apartment after a weekday class; the other, the same student at a weekend party. Sex of the drinker in the scenario was systematically varied. Students estimated the n...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of drug education 1990-01, Vol.20 (3), p.227-234
Main Authors: Engwall, Douglas B., Goldstein, Marc B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Alcohol Drinking - psychology
Alcohol use
Alcoholism
Alcoholism - psychology
Behavior. Attitude
Biological and medical sciences
College Students
Context Effect
Drinking
Drinking behavior
Drinks
Drug prevention
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Higher Education
Humans
Male
Problem drinkers
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Risk Factors
Sex Differences
Social Behavior
Social Environment
Social Facilitation
Social Influences
Social psychology
Student Attitudes
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Summary:College students (N = 276) completed surveys describing two common drinking situations. One scenario described a student alone in an apartment after a weekday class; the other, the same student at a weekend party. Sex of the drinker in the scenario was systematically varied. Students estimated the number of drinks a social drinker and a problem drinker would have in each situation. Results indicated that: 1) definitions of social and problem drinking are strongly influenced by drinking context, and 2) male and female subjects estimated that problem drinkers of the opposite sex drank more than problem drinkers of their own sex. Problem drinkers were regularly estimated to consume three to four more drinks than the subject would in the same situation. Implications for education and prevention are discussed.
ISSN:0047-2379
1541-4159
DOI:10.2190/0KUJ-YKCE-HWQ5-J758