Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 9, 2025
05:12
Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder
Published on: June 23, 2023
1.0K
Social Influence and Problematic Drinking: Insights from the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Jiaxu Han1, Catharine E Fairbairn1, Kasey G Creswell2
1University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted social influence on alcohol consumption. While friendships persisted, the link between friends' drinking habits weakened, highlighting the role of social context in substance use patterns.
Area of Science:
- Social sciences
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Alcohol consumption patterns spread through social networks.
- The conditions for social influence on drinking are not well understood.
- The COVID-19 pandemic altered social interactions and contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic affected social influence on alcohol consumption.
- To examine the role of social context in the spread of drinking behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of heavy drinking friendship dyads and triads (N=314).
- Social network analysis pre- and post-pandemic.
- Examined inter-individual (social influence) and intra-individual (autoregressive) drinking patterns.
Main Results:
- Friendships remained intact during the COVID-19 era.
- Social influence effects on problem drinking between friends significantly diminished.
- Intra-individual drinking patterns remained stable.
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted social influence on alcohol consumption.
- Social context plays a crucial role in the transmission of drinking behaviors.
- Understanding contextual factors is key to understanding social influence mechanisms.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:26Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV
62
Stress often leads to unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and overeating, which offer short-term relief but ultimately increase long-term health risks. These behaviors create a cycle that temporarily lowers stress levels but can result in severe long-term health consequences. Breaking these habits is essential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall well-being. Three primary changes that support better health include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake,...
62
01:30Stress and Mental Health
211
Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
211
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
40.2K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
40.2K
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
216
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
216
01:27CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
358
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
358
01:28Self-Help Support Groups
76
Self-help support groups are voluntary, community-based organizations that provide a platform for individuals with shared concerns to exchange support, insights, and practical strategies for coping with life challenges. Typically led by group members or paraprofessionals, these groups form a cornerstone of mental health care, especially in reaching populations that are underserved by traditional healthcare systems.
Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness
One of the primary strengths of self-help...
Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness
One of the primary strengths of self-help...
76