Young people drink alcohol to excess as way of being accepted into their social group.
Professor Christine Griffin, from the University of Bath, said extreme intoxication is a badge of “personal esteem and social affirmation” among many young people.
Speaking at the British Psychological Society’s Social Section annual conference at the University of Winchester yesterday, Professor Griffin said: “Our detailed research interviews reveal that tales of alcohol-related mishaps and escapades are key markers of young peoples’ social identity.”
In 2007, she led research for the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) which suggested a radical re-thinking of national alcohol policy to take into account the social character of alcohol consumption and the identity implications for young people.
In yesterday’s presentation, entitled “The allure of belonging: Young people’s drinking practices and collective identification”, Professor Griffin reported on the findings from the ESRC-funded study of advertisements and intensive research with young drinkers in a major town and in two towns in semi-rural locations.
The investigations formed part of the 2008 ESRC Research programme on “Identities and Social Action”.
"The ‘culture of intoxication’ has become a normalised and all but compulsory aspect of many young people’s social lives,” she said.
“Getting very drunk with friends often insulates young people from viewing their level of alcohol consumption as a potential problem, deepening bonds of friendship and cementing group membership.
"Campaigns that aim to change young people’s drinking habits need to take the social importance of drinking into account, as well as the pervasive availability of ‘cheap deals’ on alcohol."
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