Reference Group Influences on Student Drinking Behavior

Abstract

Data were secured from a random sample of725 students attending a midwestern college in 1956. Drinking was found to be more characteristic of upperclassmen, males, armed services veterans, married students, and fraternity members. The drinking of alcoholic beverages is essentially a social experience. Reference group theory was utilized to analyze the behavior of individuals between the cross-pressures of 2 reference groups with conflicting norms regarding drinking. For example, college sororities placed a lower value on abstinence than did campus religious groups. Fifteen per cent of the sorority members who were participating in religious groups drank, while 54% of the sorority actives who were not active in religious groups drank.