NCJ Number
113235
Journal
Journal of Applied Social Psychology Volume: 18 Issue: 10 Dated: (August 1988) Pages: 891-903
Date Published
1988
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined responses by 378 male and female undergraduate students at the State University of New York at Albany to examine factors that may encourage drinking and driving.
Abstract
As part of their introductory psychology course requirements, subjects were presented with six possible scenarios describing a night of drinking with friends. Scenarios differed with respect to three levels of intoxication (not at all, slight, and very) and two levels of weather (clear and rain). Subjects were asked to estimate the proportion of their peers who would (1) drive home; (2) taxi home; (3) ask a nondrinker for a ride home; (4) telephone someone for a ride home; and (5) wait and sober-up, as a function of factorially manipulated drunkenness and weather condition. Subjects were also asked to evaluate the targets who drive home or took an alternative in terms of likability, cautiousness, skillfulness, and independence. Driving home was found to be the most common mode of transportation, regardless of state of drunkenness or weather conditions. Alternative to driving home were seen as being taken only under extreme conditions (e.g., very intoxicated and rainy weather). Moreover, persons taking one of the more cautious alternatives were perceived as overly cautious and also low in skillfulness. The practical implications for the findings are discussed with respect to enhancing education efforts. (Author abstract modified).