Expectancies about the effects of alcohol on the self and on others as determinants of alcohol policy attitudes

Abstract

The present study brings together 2 separate lines of research in the alcohol field: alcohol expectancies and policy attitudes. Expectancies concerning the short-and long-term effects of drinking (e.g., aggression), were predicted to be stronger determinants of support for alcohol availability control when the target person was another, compared to when discussing effects of one's own drinking. In a population-based survey conducted in 1992, 804 current drinkers were asked about self and other alcohol expectancies, as well as attitudes toward various alcohol policies. Results showed a distinct self-other discrepancy, with people more likely to expect alcohol to have a greater effect over oth..