Sober as Deviant

Abstract

Social scientists have conducted numerous studies on college students’ binge drinking behavior. They have not, however, conducted any systematic studies of nondrinkers on college campuses. Our study focuses on the everyday experiences of nondrinking undergraduates who stay “dry” while living on “wet” campuses. We use the symbolic interactionist notions of identity work and deviance to show how nondrinkers employ a variety of stigma management strategies to avoid being labeled deviant. These strategies include the procurement of drinking props, fictive storytelling, alteration of personal appearance, concealment, disclosure, and capitulation. We extend the sociological study of identity work and deviance by documenting how nondrinkers experience and manage stigma and negotiate positive social and personal identities. Moreover, we apply the concepts of “negative deviants,” “rate busters,” and “positive deviants” to delineate how nondrinkers are viewed by different audiences on a “wet” campus.

An Examination of How Professionals Who Abstain from Alcohol Communicatively Negotiate Their Non-drinking Identity

“…Consistent with studies of college student non-drinkers (Herman-Kinney & Kinney, 2013;Romo, 2012), this investigation's participants generally did not bring up their non-drinking status proactively. But when offered a drink, non-drinkers adopted one or more of the following politeness strategies: bald on record (often combined with positive politeness), off-record, and avoid the FTA (Brown & Levinson, 1987).…”

“…Through interviews with nondrinking college students, Herman-Kinney and Kinney (2013) and Romo (2012) found that abstaining from alcohol in college violated social norms. By not drinking, most college student abstainers reported experiencing felt and enacted stigma, which they deliberately managed (Herman-Kinney & Kinney, 2013;Romo, 2012). Some students concealed their non-drinking identity, passing as a drinker by holding what appeared to be an alcoholic drink, by acting drunk, or by smelling of alcohol (Herman-Kinney & Kinney, 2013;Romo, 2012).…”

“…If it became known that they did not drink, non-drinkers made it clear they did not judge drinkers and provided what they believed were socially acceptable reasons for not drinking, largely pertaining to health (Romo, 2012). Some students engaged in "fictitious storytelling"-exaggerating or distorting the reasons they did not drink alcohol to make their abstinence more legitimate (Herman-Kinney & Kinney, 2013). Other students avoided drinking situations completely as they perceived staying clear of events where alcohol was served was less socially risky (Herman-Kinney & Kinney, 2013).…”

“…By not drinking, most college student abstainers reported experiencing felt and enacted stigma, which they deliberately managed (Herman-Kinney & Kinney, 2013;Romo, 2012). Some students concealed their non-drinking identity, passing as a drinker by holding what appeared to be an alcoholic drink, by acting drunk, or by smelling of alcohol (Herman-Kinney & Kinney, 2013;Romo, 2012). If it became known that they did not drink, non-drinkers made it clear they did not judge drinkers and provided what they believed were socially acceptable reasons for not drinking, largely pertaining to health (Romo, 2012).…”

“…Some students engaged in "fictitious storytelling"-exaggerating or distorting the reasons they did not drink alcohol to make their abstinence more legitimate (Herman-Kinney & Kinney, 2013). Other students avoided drinking situations completely as they perceived staying clear of events where alcohol was served was less socially risky (Herman-Kinney & Kinney, 2013). Paton-Simpson (1995) explored the general experiences of "under drinking" New Zealand men ranging in age from teenagers to over 70.…”