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Permissible starting age for drinking in four Scandinavian countries.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol
|November 1, 1984
Summary
Scandinavian youth norms permit earlier alcohol consumption with peers and family compared to other nations. Younger generations in Scandinavia show more permissive attitudes towards underage drinking, indicating cultural shifts.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Public Health
- Cross-cultural Studies
Background:
- Societal norms regarding the legal drinking age vary significantly worldwide.
- Understanding these norms is crucial for public health initiatives and cultural analysis.
- Previous research has explored drinking behaviors but less so the normative permissibility across diverse cultures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare and analyze data on the permissible age for alcohol consumption among youth in Scandinavian countries versus other international locations.
- To investigate the influence of social context (peers vs. family) and gender on these norms.
- To assess the recent shifts in Scandinavian drinking norms and their integration into family life.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of survey data on attitudes towards underage drinking.
- International comparison including Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, California, Mexico, the Netherlands, Ontario, Scotland, and Zambia.
- Examination of normative distance between drinking with peers and family as an indicator of cultural integration.
Main Results:
- Scandinavian countries exhibit more permissive norms for youth alcohol consumption compared to Zambia and Mexico, where gender significantly impacts responses.
- A notable contrast exists between egalitarian sex norms in industrial nations and traditional expectations in Zambia and Mexico.
- Younger respondents in Scandinavia accept earlier drinking ages, particularly with family, than older generations, indicating recent shifts in permissiveness.
Conclusions:
- Current youth drinking norms in Scandinavia are notably permissive and represent a recent cultural development.
- The integration of alcohol consumption into family life is suggested by younger generations accepting drinking at home earlier than with peers.
- Alcohol consumption may be undergoing cultural integration into family life in Scandinavia, moving away from being solely associated with independence.