Citation

Hamilton HR, Armeli S, Tennen H. Emerg. Adulthood 2021; 9(4): 415-421.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/2167696820949783

PMID

34712519

PMCID

PMC8547189

Abstract

Although many college students view drinking as a means of gaining a community and being social, research has not established whether alcohol consumption influences students' enjoyment and perceptions of how others view them or how this may differ based on the social or solitary nature of that consumption. The current study used online daily diary methods to examine the association between alcohol consumption and enjoyment and self-perceptions at the within- and between-person levels of analysis.

RESULTS indicated that undergraduate students (N=877; 52% female) enjoyed their evenings more when they consumed more than their typical number of drinks with others, but enjoyed evenings less when they consumed more than their typical number of drinks alone. In addition, consuming greater than their average number of drinks with others (but not alone) was related to feeling more social and attractive but less competent. These findings further highlight the distinct nature of social and solitary drinking and demonstrate positive outcomes of social alcohol consumption that may contribute to college alcohol consumption.

Language: en

Keywords

college students; alcohol consumption; diary study; enjoyment; self-perception