Alcohol expectancies, values, and drinking of Irish and U.S. collegians

Positive and negative alcohol expectancies, values, and their relationship to amount and severity of drinking were examined for Irish and American college students. All Irish seemed to have softer, more aesthetic values than Americans, especially males. Irish college women appeared especially dissatisfied with the conventional roles thrust upon them, and they used alcohol to relieve inhibitions, especially sexual ones. American women also used alcohol as a tranquilizer and for release of inhibitions. While Irish males also seemed to drink for rebellious reasons, all males had less concern about social censure and rejection because of drinking than did females.