Social Interaction and the Distribution of Alcohol Consumption

Abstract

Both survey data and liver cirrhosis mortality data demonstrate the existence of a relationship between per capita consumption of alcohol and the prevalence of heavy alcohol use. The present paper reviews some of the explanations given for this relationship, and the so-called “contagion between persons” explanation is further developed. The empirical evidence for the basic assumptions of this theory is reviewed, and some predictions are derived and related to empirical facts.

Commentary on Gmel & Rehm's interpretation of the theory of collectivity of drinking culture

“…First, in a culture with strict formal or informal control over individual drinking, one could expect that the dispersion of the distribution would be smaller, compared to cultures with less control [3]. Hence, if the level of control changes, one should expect changes in the dispersion of the distribution.…”

“…I have stated repeatedly that the question of whether a certain change in per capita consumption causes a parallel change in the prevalence of heavy drinking or vice versa is hardly a meaningful problem (e.g. Shog [3]). Gmel & Rehm describe my view as a third variable position.…”

Having the wrong friends? Peer effects in adolescent substance use

“…Other disciplines, such as psychology and sociology, have long acknowledged the influence of peers on individual substance use (Cohen, 1977;Kandel, 1978Kandel, , 1996Skog, 1980;Glynn, 1981;McDaniel, 1989, 1992;Crane, 1991;Graham et al, 1991;Brooks-Gunn et al, 1993;Ennet, 1994, 1996). There is no reason, in principle, why social interactions in substance use could not be studied using the standard tools of economic analysis.…”

Drinking patterns within households: the estimation and interpretation of individual and group variables

“…The issues discussed above concerning the consistency properties of the random effects estimator when group level variables are included is relevant to the reduced form Equation (3). A random effects specification of (3) is analogous to Mundlak's formulation and hence ensures consistency of the parameter estimates of interest.…”

“…In the case of alcohol consumption, there has been a great deal of attention related to peer effects on behaviour and the relationship between population and individual drinking levels [2,3].…”