TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of social drinking motives in the relationship between social norms and alcohol consumption
AU - Halim, Andrew
AU - Hasking, Penelope Anne
AU - Allen, Felicity Catherine Louise
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Social norms are key predictors of college student drinking. Additionally, the social reasons for consumption (i.e. social drinking motives) are important to understanding drinking behaviour. This study investigated the effects of social norms and social motives on alcohol consumption. A total of 229 college students completed an online questionnaire assessing their drinking behaviour, social drinking motives and their perceived
drinking social norms. Drinking social norms were assessed as descriptive norms (i.e. the individual s perceived prevalence of alcohol consumption), and injunctive norms (i.e. the individual s perceived approval of drinking by their peers). Additionally, injunctive norms were further separated into distal (socially distant peers) and proximal (socially close peers). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed descriptive norms, proximal injunctive norms and social motives all independently predicted alcohol consumption. Additionally, the relationship between proximal injunctive norms and consumption, and descriptive norms and consumption was mediated by social motives. Lastly, there was a significant three-way interaction between descriptive norms, distal injunctive norms and social motives on drinking. Consideration of both the individual factors and the complex interplay between social norms and social motives on alcohol consumption is necessary
to further understand drinking behaviour, and to develop more effective alcohol harm-reduction strategies.
AB - Social norms are key predictors of college student drinking. Additionally, the social reasons for consumption (i.e. social drinking motives) are important to understanding drinking behaviour. This study investigated the effects of social norms and social motives on alcohol consumption. A total of 229 college students completed an online questionnaire assessing their drinking behaviour, social drinking motives and their perceived
drinking social norms. Drinking social norms were assessed as descriptive norms (i.e. the individual s perceived prevalence of alcohol consumption), and injunctive norms (i.e. the individual s perceived approval of drinking by their peers). Additionally, injunctive norms were further separated into distal (socially distant peers) and proximal (socially close peers). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed descriptive norms, proximal injunctive norms and social motives all independently predicted alcohol consumption. Additionally, the relationship between proximal injunctive norms and consumption, and descriptive norms and consumption was mediated by social motives. Lastly, there was a significant three-way interaction between descriptive norms, distal injunctive norms and social motives on drinking. Consideration of both the individual factors and the complex interplay between social norms and social motives on alcohol consumption is necessary
to further understand drinking behaviour, and to develop more effective alcohol harm-reduction strategies.
UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460312002833
U2 - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2012.07.004
DO - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2012.07.004
M3 - Article
VL - 37
SP - 1335
EP - 1341
JO - Addictive Behaviors
JF - Addictive Behaviors
SN - 0306-4603
IS - 12
ER -