Norm Qualities and Alcoholism

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between three types of norms and chronic alcoholism. Three types of norms— proscriptive, prescriptive, and nonscriptive— were used as categories to investigate the norms of American chronic alcoholics. Five sources of norms were used to identify the reference groups who were perceived as influencing the alcoholics' drinking patterns. The reference groups included co-workers, church, family, friends, and parents.

Among 85 American subjects, chronic alcoholism tended to be highest in a proscriptive environment, lower in a prescriptive environment, and lowest in a nonscriptive environment. Proscriptive norms were those which were perceived as stating directly that a person should not drink excessively at all. The sources of the proscriptive norms were analyzed. Church and parents were found to be the perceived sources of proscriptive norms for the chronic alcoholics studied. The data suggest that both parents and church members need to be taken into consideration when planning rehabilitation programmes for chronic alcoholics.