Social impact and social preference as determinants of children's peer group status.

Evaluated 3 sociometric procedures utilizing a 2-dimensional social-impact and social-preference framework on 3 samples of 4th and 5th graders (ns?=?334, 173, and 89). The stability and distribution of classification, the relationship between dimensions, the validation of dimensions, and the validation of classification groups were considered. The method proposed by J. Peery (see record 1980-06647-001) appeared most problematic, and the procedure proposed by J. Coie et al (see record 1982-27928-001) was found to have nonexhaustive groups and the potential of misrepresenting Ss' social networks when standardized scores were used. An alternative 2-dimensional sociometric model based on probability theory was found to have excellent performance characteristics while still providing a constant frame of reference across social networks. The social reputational correlates of the impact and preference dimensions and the sociometric groups proposed by each model were investigated. Although social impact and social preference were reliable and valid determinants of peer group status, the need for alternative indicators of children's social standing in the peer group is discussed. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A self-awareness model of the causes and effects of alcohol consumption.

Proposed a model of alcohol consumption based on the premise that alcohol serves to decrease an individual's level of self-awareness. According to this analysis, alcohol interferes with encoding processes fundamental to a state of self-awareness, thereby decreasing the individual's sensitivity to both the self-relevance of cues regarding appropriate forms of behavior and the self-evaluative nature of feedback about past behaviors. Insofar as the latter form of information can provide a source of self-criticism and negative affect, alcohol as an inhibitor of self-aware processing is thought to provide a source of psychological relief. It is concluded that the self-awareness-based model establishes a useful framework within which a broad base of alcohol's cognitive, affective, and social behavioral effects and insight to the motivations behind drinking can be conceived. (95 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Provocation to anger and opportunity for retaliation as determinants of alcohol consumption in social drinkers.

Assigned 30 male and 30 female college students identified as heavy social drinkers to 1 of 6 groups in a 3 * 2 factorial design. In addition to the S sex factor, the 3 main treatment groups were provocation to anger with no opportunity to retaliate, provocation with opportunity for retaliation, and a no-provocation, no-retaliation control group. Provoked Ss were angered by an insulting confederate, whereas controls experienced a neutral interaction with the confederate. In the retaliation condition, Ss were given the opportunity to deliver a fixed number of shocks to the confederate who had provoked them. Drinking rates in all Ss were then determined by their participation in a standardized taste-rating task, which permitted an unobtrusive measure of alcohol consumption. Results show that group members who were provoked and expressed their anger by retaliating against the confederate consumed significantly less alcohol than provoked Ss in the no-retaliation condition. Controls drank an intermediate amount of alcohol but did not differ significantly from the other 2 groups. Sex was not a significant determinant of alcohol consumption. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family history of problem drinking among young male social drinkers: Modeling effects on alcohol consumption.

This research tested the effect of social drinking models on the drinking behavior of 19- to 21-year-old subjects with (FH+) and without (FH-) family histories of problem drinking. The project involved 50 subjects (24 FH+ and 26 FH-) whose drinking habits did not differ. Measures of alcohol intake and the resulting blood alcohol concentration each indicated an interaction between FH and model treatment. The drinking by FH+ subjects changed significantly to conform with the model. Similar but nonsignificant model effects were displayed by FH- subjects. The evidence suggests that social drinking models may have a particularly salient influence on the drinking behavior of FH+ individuals. Because modeling effects have not previously been explored in relation to family history of problem drinking, the present study identifies a promising direction for research on the etiology of alcohol abuse and the development of prevention programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-awareness-reducing effects of alcohol consumption.

Three experiments with 180 males examined the effects of alcohol consumption on the self-aware state. Based on a model proposed by J. G. Hull (see record 1982-05684-001), it was predicted that alcohol would reduce self-awareness. In Exp I, Ss consumed either alcohol or tonic and then gave short speeches about themselves. All Ss expected to consume alcohol. The speeches were coded for frequency of self-focused statements. In support of predictions, alcohol reduced the relative frequency of self-focused statements. Exp II replicated this finding and demonstrated that it did not depend on Ss' expectancies regarding the beverage they consumed. Exp III investigated a potential mechanism for these effects. Alcohol was proposed to reduce self-awareness by interfering with the encoding of self-relevant information. Using an incidental-memory paradigm, it was found that high-private self-conscious Ss recalled more self-relevant words than did low-self-conscious Ss under placebo conditions, thus replicating the findings of Hull and A. S. Levy (see record 1980-27166-001). (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-consciousness, self-esteem, and success–failure as determinants of alcohol consumption in male social drinkers.

Tested the proposition that alcohol is consumed as a function of the quality of past performances and of the individual's level of private self-consciousness. 120 adult male Ss were randomly given success or failure feedback on an intellectual task. They then participated in a separate "wine-tasting" experiment in which they were allowed to regulate alcohol consumption. As predicted, high self-conscious Ss who had received failure feedback drank significantly more than did high self-conscious Ss who received success feedback. Consumption by low self-conscious Ss fell between these extremes and did not vary as a function of success and failure. Ss' scores on the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List indicated that these results were mediated by differential sensitivity to the positive or negative implications of success/failure by high and low self-conscious Ss. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Media as social influence: Racial differences in the effects of peers and media on adolescent alcohol cognitions and consumption.

Racial differences in the effects of peer and media influence on adolescents' alcohol cognitions and consumption were examined in a large-scale panel study. With regard to peer influence, results from cross-lagged panel analyses indicated that the relation between perceived peer drinking and own drinking was significant for both Black and White adolescents, but it was stronger for the White adolescents. With regard to media influence, structural modeling analyses indicated that exposure to drinking in movies was associated with more alcohol consumption 8 months and 16 months later. These effects were mediated by increases in the favorability of the adolescents' drinker prototypes, their willingness to drink, and their tendency to affiliate with friends who were drinking. Multiple group analyses indicated that, once again, the effects (both direct and indirect) were much stronger for White adolescents than for Black adolescents. The results suggest media influence works in a similar manner to social influence and that Whites may be more susceptible to both types of influence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sequential analysis of social interaction: Assessing internal versus social determinants of behavior.

Predictability and controllability of events influence attributions and affect in many research domains. In face-to-face social interaction, behavior is predictable from actor's own past behavior (internal determinants) and from partner's past behavior (social determinants). This study assessed how affect ratings are related to predictability of vocal activity from internal and social determinants. Time and frequency domain analysis of on–off vocal activity from 55 dyadic getting-acquainted conversations provided indexes of predictability from internal and social determinants. Greater predictability of vocal activity patterns from both internal and social determinants was associated with more positive affect. Future research should take internal as well as social determinants of behavior into account. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The temporal relationship between alcohol consumption and HIV-medication adherence: A multilevel model of direct and moderating effects.

Previous studies documenting an association between alcohol use and HIV medication nonadherence, have been unable to distinguish between-persons characteristics from within-person characteristics representing the temporally linked effects of alcohol. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) explored within- and between-person predictors of adherence during the past 14 days, as well as factors that moderate the event-level effects of alcohol consumption among 272 HIV-positive men and women with alcohol problems. On days in which participants drank, they had almost 9 times higher odds of medication nonadherence, with each drink increasing the odds by 20%. The cognitive and alcohol factors had significant between-person effects on adherence. Individuals with strong and rigid beliefs about the importance of strict medication adherence were significantly more affected by each dose of alcohol, while individuals with more alcohol use and problems were less affected by each drink. Regimen complexity increased the effects of having 1 or more drinks. These results highlight the importance of promoting medication adherence among alcohol-using adults, especially among patients with complex regimens or with high confidence and positive attitudes toward HIV medication. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcoholic-spouse interaction as a function of alcoholism subtype and alcohol consumption interaction.

This study assessed the impact of alcoholism subtype on marital interaction, a research focus stimulated by the investigators' earlier findings linking drinking style with differential levels of marital satisfaction and stability. In the current effort, observations of 49 alcoholics and their wives were conducted during sessions when alcohol was consumed and during nondrinking sessions. Different patterns of interactions emerged for episodic and steady alcoholics. On the drink nights, episodic alcoholic couples evidenced less problem solving than did the steady alcoholic couples. Additionally, among episodic couples, the husbands were more negative on the drink nights than were the wives, whereas among steady couples, wives were more negative than were the alcoholic husbands. The interaction displayed by the episodic alcoholics and their spouses was suggestive of a coercive control pattern. In contrast, the steady alcoholic and his spouse displayed a pattern suggestive of high levels of problem solving. Further research is necessary to determine whether these two different interaction patterns are predictive of continued alcohol abuse or the exacerbation of marital problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of situation and sibling status on sibling interaction.

Observed 32 mixed-sex sibling pairs in free play in the laboratory and analyzed their interactions in terms of the sibling-status variables of age of the individual S, sex composition of the dyad, and age interval between the siblings. Younger siblings were 1.5–2.0 yrs old, and older siblings were 2.5–5.5 yrs old. Ss were observed for 4 successive 3.5-min trials. Results generally replicate those in previous home studies. As compared to their younger siblings, older siblings initiated more object struggles and, in dyads with large age intervals, they also initiated more prosocial behavior. Younger siblings imitated more often. Older females were especially prosocial. In order to study the effect of situational variables, the number of toys available and the mother's presence during the free-play observations were manipulated. There were more positive interactions with a single toy and more negative interactions with 4 toys. Finally, there were more negative interactions in mother's presence than in her absence. (French abstract) (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social and behavioral consequences of alcohol consumption and expectancy: A meta-analysis.

Conducted a meta-analysis on 34 studies that investigated the effects of alcohol consumption and expectancy within the balanced-placebo design. Preliminary results indicated that both alcohol and expectancy had significant but heterogeneous effects on behavior. Subsequent analyses were conducted to determine the factors responsible for the heterogeneity of effects. At the highest level of analysis, alcohol expectancy had strong effects on relatively deviant social behaviors and minimal effects on nonsocial behaviors. Alcohol consumption showed the opposite pattern of effects. The principal effects associated with alcohol expectancy involved increased alcohol consumption and increased sexual arousal in response to erotic stimuli. On the other hand, alcohol consumption led to significant impairment of information processing and motor performance, induced a specific set of physical sensations, resulted in general improvements of mood, and tended to increase aggression. Across all studies it was observed that alcohol consumption and expectancy interacted no more frequently than would be expected by chance. A list of the studies used in the meta-analysis is appended. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The powers of John Barleycorn: Beliefs about the effects of alcohol on social behavior.

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)     

Effects of anxiety arousal on the consumption of alcohol by alcoholics and social drinkers.

Tested the hypothesis that the arousal of anxiety would lead to an increase in the alcoholic's consumption of alcohol. 20 male nonabstinent alcoholics and 20 male social drinkers were engaged in an alcohol taste rating task. High and low levels of state anxiety were induced by threatening Ss with either a painful or a nonpainful electric shock. Levels of trait anxiety were also assessed using the Neuroticism scale of the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Alcoholics consumed significantly more alcohol than social drinkers in the tasting task, but the amounts consumed by both groups were unrelated either to the anxiety manipulation factor or trait anxiety scores. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for anxiety-reduction models of alcoholism. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Anxiety sensitivity and anticipation of a self-disclosing interview as determinants of alcohol consumption.

Individuals scoring high (HAS, n?=?28) and low (LAS, n?=?28) on the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (R. A. Peterson & S. Reiss, 1992) were exposed to a stress induction manipulation followed by a beverage taste-rating task in a study of coping-related alcohol consumption. Anticipation of an anxiety-relevant (AR) interview about their anxiety experiences did not result in greater alcohol consumption by HAS individuals as hypothesized. However, HAS individuals consumed significantly more alcohol than LAS individuals when anticipating an anxiety-irrelevant (AI) interview about their food preferences. The following explanations are explored: (a) Social-evaluative concerns may have suppressed alcoholic beverage consumption by HAS-AR individuals, and (b) enhanced interoceptive acuity and discomfort because of prior food deprivation may have increased alcoholic beverage consumption among HAS-AI individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Group decision making and social influence: A social interaction sequence model.

Discusses the social interaction sequence (SIS) model, which represents the group decision-making process in terms of the sequential choice behavior—changes in preference and certainty—of group members. This model states that the probabilities of preference and certainty changes are related to the current distribution of opinion in the group. An application of the SIS model to a study of jury decision making (G. Strasser, 1977) is presented, and results of earlier empirical studies are predicted by a computer simulation version of the model. Shift and opinion change versions of the model are proposed, with both extensions incorporating the concept of a characteristic certainty distribution. Characteristic certainty distributions are used to examine the expected effects of group size and assigned-decision rule on members' confidence in a group's decision. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Inhibitory effects of drinker and nondrinker prototypes on adolescent alcohol consumption.

This prospective study examined the relation between 308 adolescents' images of typical drinkers and nondrinkers and their subsequent alcohol consumption. The results indicate that both images are associated with changes in consumption between ages 16 and 18 but that they operate in different ways. Contrary to previous assumptions, drinker images do not represent goal states for adolescents in that they are more negative than their self-images and nondrinker images and are not correlated with their ideal selves. In contrast, nondrinker images do appear to represent goal states for adolescents who abstain from drinking. Implications for intervention are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Metabolic mapping of the effects of oral alcohol self-administration in rats

A method for the quantitation of protein carbonyls, which have been widely employed as markers of protein oxidative damage, is described. Protein carbonyls were derivatized with tritiated sodium borohydride and the tritiated proteins were separated on SDS-PAGE. Protein bands, visualized by Coomassie blue staining, were then excised and incubated in 30% H2O2 at 60 degrees C for 48 h. Tritium, incorporated into the proteins, was quantitated by liquid scintillation counting after gel solubilization by H2O2. This method can be applied to the measurement of carbonylation of specific proteins as it employs SDS-PAGE and has the advantage that unreacted NaB3H4 in the labeling reaction mixture need not be removed. The present method, when combined with immunochemical detection of protein carbonyls, should be very useful in the quantitation of oxidative damage to individual proteins.     

Expectancies as mediators of the effects of social influences and alcohol knowledge on adolescent alcohol use: A prospective analysis.

Three-year panel data from 789 students in 8th grade and path-analytic techniques were used to test a model positing that social reinforcement expectancies mediate the effects of perceived friends' alcohol use, friends' alcohol attitudes, and knowledge of near-term health effects and alcohol prevalence on both contemporaneous and subsequent alcohol involvement. Evidence of mediation was obtained with both cross-sectional and longitudinal findings. Perceived peer norms had a direct effect on alcohol use, and knowledge of normative alcohol use had a unique long-term protective influence on later alcohol use. Findings are discussed in terms of a 2-pronged prevention model that (a) integrates principles of social learning theory with expectancy-based, cognitive-behavioral change and (b) emphasizes dissemination of age-appropriate alcohol information in programs that aim to reduce alcohol use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)