The purpose of the proposed project is to provide a basic upon which to integrate economic and sociological approaches to the evaluation of preventive efforts to reduce alcohol consumption and problems. The theoretical framework for the project is based upon sociological formulations of the role of social norms in the regulation of alcohol consumption and problem rates. Social norms are assumed to provide the formal and informal means by which these behaviors are constrained with social groups. Formal manifestations of the regulatory effects of social norms are seen in the restrictions states impose on prices of alcoholic beverages and densities of alcohol beverage outlets. Informal manifestations of the regulatory effects of social norms are seen in the prescriptions and proscriptions on alcohol use imposed by the normative expectations societies have regarding behaviors related to alcohol consumption. The sociological model further suggests that the effectiveness of formal interventions will be moderated by the informal expectation regarding these behaviors. Thus, the effectiveness of economic interventions (e.g.., changes in alcohol prices or outlet densities) may be moderated by the social norms of targeted groups. A structural model of the relationships between social norms, alcohol prices, alcohol outlet densities, and alcohol consumption and problem rates is proposed. Both static and dynamic features of this model are outlined and methods for testing various features of the model presented. Aggregate time series cross-sectional state level data from the United States will be used to evaluate the empirical status of the model. Time series cross-sectional analyses of these data will determine(1) whether surrogates for social norms are longitudinally related to changes in alcohol prices (represented by taxation rates) and/or changes in outlet densities, (2) whether these surrogates have independent effects upon alcohol consumption rates, and (3) whether alcohol prices and outlet densities have direct effects upon one measure of alcohol problems (fatal nighttime crashes) independent of alcohol consumption rates. Seemingly unrelated regression analyses will be used to determine whether the effects of changes in alcohol prices or outlet densities on alcohol consumption rates and alcohol problems are moderated by cross-sectional differences in social norms between states. The long term goal of these studies is to clarify the relationship between the social context of economic interventions and the interventions themselves.
