Young adults’ decision making surrounding heavy drinking: A multi-staged model of planned behaviour

This paper examines the real life contexts in which decisions surrounding heavy drinking are made byyoung adults (that is, on occasions when five or more alcoholic drinks are consumed within a few hours).It presents a conceptual model that views such decision making as a multi-faceted and multi-stag...

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Main Author: Northcote, Jeremy
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier 2011
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49414
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author Northcote, Jeremy
author_facet Northcote, Jeremy
author_sort Northcote, Jeremy
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This paper examines the real life contexts in which decisions surrounding heavy drinking are made byyoung adults (that is, on occasions when five or more alcoholic drinks are consumed within a few hours).It presents a conceptual model that views such decision making as a multi-faceted and multi-stagedprocess. The mixed method study draws on purposive data gathered through direct observation ofeight social networks consisting of 81 young adults aged between 18 and 25 years in Perth, WesternAustralia, including in-depth interviews with 31 participants. Qualitative and some basic quantitativedata were gathered using participant observation and in-depth interviews undertaken over an eighteenmonth period. Participants explained their decision to engage in heavy drinking as based on a variety offactors. These elements relate to socio-cultural norms and expectancies that are best explained by thetheory of planned behaviour. A framework is proposed that characterises heavy drinking as taking placein a multi-staged manner, with young adults having: 1. A generalised orientation to the value of heavydrinking shaped by wider influences and norms; 2. A short-term orientation shaped by situationalfactors that determines drinking intentions for specific events; and 3. An evaluative orientation shapedby moderating factors. The value of qualitative studies of decision making in real life contexts is advanced to complement the mostly quantitative research that dominates research on alcohol decision making.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-494142017-03-15T22:56:11Z Young adults’ decision making surrounding heavy drinking: A multi-staged model of planned behaviour Northcote, Jeremy This paper examines the real life contexts in which decisions surrounding heavy drinking are made byyoung adults (that is, on occasions when five or more alcoholic drinks are consumed within a few hours).It presents a conceptual model that views such decision making as a multi-faceted and multi-stagedprocess. The mixed method study draws on purposive data gathered through direct observation ofeight social networks consisting of 81 young adults aged between 18 and 25 years in Perth, WesternAustralia, including in-depth interviews with 31 participants. Qualitative and some basic quantitativedata were gathered using participant observation and in-depth interviews undertaken over an eighteenmonth period. Participants explained their decision to engage in heavy drinking as based on a variety offactors. These elements relate to socio-cultural norms and expectancies that are best explained by thetheory of planned behaviour. A framework is proposed that characterises heavy drinking as taking placein a multi-staged manner, with young adults having: 1. A generalised orientation to the value of heavydrinking shaped by wider influences and norms; 2. A short-term orientation shaped by situationalfactors that determines drinking intentions for specific events; and 3. An evaluative orientation shapedby moderating factors. The value of qualitative studies of decision making in real life contexts is advanced to complement the mostly quantitative research that dominates research on alcohol decision making. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49414 Elsevier restricted
spellingShingle Northcote, Jeremy
Young adults’ decision making surrounding heavy drinking: A multi-staged model of planned behaviour
title Young adults’ decision making surrounding heavy drinking: A multi-staged model of planned behaviour
title_full Young adults’ decision making surrounding heavy drinking: A multi-staged model of planned behaviour
title_fullStr Young adults’ decision making surrounding heavy drinking: A multi-staged model of planned behaviour
title_full_unstemmed Young adults’ decision making surrounding heavy drinking: A multi-staged model of planned behaviour
title_short Young adults’ decision making surrounding heavy drinking: A multi-staged model of planned behaviour
title_sort young adults’ decision making surrounding heavy drinking: a multi-staged model of planned behaviour
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49414