| Abstract: | ![]()
Argues that in popular thought, alcohol has been invested with a great number of varied effects. It has been suggested that these effects are, in part, a function of beliefs about the power of alcohol to change the drinker. A review of the data on causal beliefs about alcohol and social behavior indicates that such beliefs are common and that the general public shares a number of beliefs about alcohol as a cause of crime and disinhibited behavior. Several issues are discussed, including the role of individual differences in drinking habits, sex differences in beliefs, and the dichotomy of desirable and undesirable behavioral effects. It is suggested that these beliefs function in maintaining drinking behavior and in contributing to alcohol's potential for excusing untoward behavior. (95 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
