Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Religiosity and alcohol behavior: An exploration of reference group theory

  • Articles
  • Published:
Sociological Forum

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between religiosity and alcohol use and perceived misuse. Unlike most past research, we focus on adults rather than adolescents and distinguish among specific Protestant denominations. We also use a more appropriate statistical technique and place the findings in a theoretical context. The analysis shows that religiosity is clearly related to alcohol use, mainly because people's religion serves as a reference group influencing their behavior. The analysis also shows that religiosity is not related to perceived misuse of alcohol, mainly because societal norms are congruent with religious norms and, hence, appear to overwhelm any effect of religion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akers, R. L., J. Massey, W. Clarke, andR. M. Lauer 1983 “Are self-reports of adolescent deviance valid? Biochemical measures, randomized response, and the bogus pipeline in smoking behavior.” Social Forces 62:234–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, V. L. andD. A. Wilder 1976 “Social comparison, self-evaluation, and conformity to the group.” In J. M. Suls and R. L. Miller (eds.). Social Comparison Processes: 187–208. New York: John Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alston, J. P. andW. A. McIntosh 1979 “An assessment of the determinants of religious participation.” Sociological Quarterly 20:40–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacon, S. 1957 “Social settings conducive to alcoholism: A sociological approach to a medical problem.” Journal of the American Medical Association 164:177–181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bales R. F. 1946 “Cultural differences in rates of alcoholism.” Quarterly Journal of Studies of Alcohol 6:492–498.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beeghley, L., E. Van Velsor, andE. W. Bock 1981 “The correlates of religiosity among black and white Americans.” Sociological Quarterly 22:403–412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bock, E. W., L. Beeghley, andA. J. Mixon 1983 “Religion, socioeconomic status, and sexual morality: An application of reference group theory.” Sociological Quarterly 24:545–559.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bock, E. W., J. K. Cochran, andL. Beeghley 1987 “Moral messages: The relative influence of denomination on the religiosity-alcohol relationship.” Sociological Quarterly 28:93–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borgatta, E. F., R. J. V. Montgomery, andM. L. Borgatta 1982 “Alcohol use and abuse, life crisis events, and the elderly.” Research on Aging 4:378–408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkett, S. R. andM. White 1974 “Hellfire and delinquency: Another look.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 13:455–462.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cahalan, D., I. H. Cisin, andH. M. Crossley 1967 American Drinking Practices. Washington, DC: George Washington University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chalfant, H. P., R. E. Beckley, andC. E. Palmer 1981 Religion in Contemporary Society. Sherman Oaks, CA: Alfred.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishburne, P., H. I. Abelson, andI. H. Cisin 1980 National Survey on Drug Abuse: Main Findings, 1979. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Globetti, G. 1969 “The use of alcohol among high school students in an abstinence setting.” Pacific Sociological Review 12:105–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glock, C. Y. andR. Stark 1965 Religion and Society in Tension. Chicago: Rand McNally.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greeley, A. M. 1981 “Religious musical chairs.” In T. Robbins and D. Anthony (eds.), In Gods We Trust: 101–126. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadaway, C. K., K. W. Elifson, andD. M. Peterson 1984 “Religious involvement and drug use among urban adolescents.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 23:109–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, D. J. 1973 “Social norms and drinking behavior: Implications for alcohol and drug education.” Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education 65:159–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanushek, E. A. andJ. E. Jackson 1977 Statistical Methods for Social Scientists. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, P. C. andG. L. Albrecht 1977 “Hellfire and delinquency revisited.” Social Forces 55:952–958.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirschi, T. andR. Stark 1969 “Hellfire and delinquency.” Social Problems 177:202–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, G. F. andM. L. Erickson 1979 “The religious factor and delinquency: Another look at the hellfire hypothesis.” In R. Wuthnow (ed.), The Religious Dimension: New Directions in Quantitative Research: 157–177. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J. O. 1975 “Multivariate analysis of ordinal variables.” American Journal of Sociology 81:261–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krohn, M. D., R. L. Akers, M. J. Radosevich, andL. Lanza-Kaduce 1982 “Norm qualities and adolescent drinking and drug behavior: The effects of norm quality and reference group on using alcohol and marijuana.” Journal of Drug Issues 12:343–359.

    Google Scholar 

  • 1970 “The assignment of numbers to ranks.” American Sociological Review 35:515–524.

    Google Scholar 

  • 1971 “In defense of assigning numbers to ranks.” American Sociological Review 36:521–522.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen, D. E. andB. Abu-Laban 1968 “Norm qualities and deviant drinking behavior.” Social Problems 15:441–450.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leffler, W. J. 1973 “Middle class drug use and Jewish youth.” Journal of Drug Issues 3:318–321.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merton, R. K. 1968 “Continuities in the theory of reference groups and social structure.” In R. K. Merton, Social Theory and Social Structure: 335–440. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merton, R. K. andA. S. Rossi 1968 “Contributions to the theory of reference group behavior.” In R. K. Merton, Social Theory and Social Structure: 229–235. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Middleton, R. andS. Putney 1962 “Religion, normative standards, and behavior.” Sociometry 25:141–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, J. D., I. H. Cisin, H. Gardner-Keaton, A. Harrel, P. W. Wirtz, H. I. Abelson, andP. M. Fishburne 1983 National Survey on Drug Abuse: Main Findings, 1982. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mizruchi, E. H. andR. Perrucci 1962 “Norm qualities and differential effects of deviant behavior: An exploratory analysis.” American Socilogical Review 27:391–399.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulford, H. A. 1964 “Drinking and deviant drinking, U.S.A., 1963.” Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol 25:634–650

    Google Scholar 

  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 1981 Fourth Special Report to the U.S. Congress on Alcohol and Health. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newport, F. 1979 “The religious switcher in the United States.” American Sociological Review 44:528–552.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Connor, J. 1975 “Cultural influences and drinking behavior: Drinking in Ireland and England.” Journal of Alcoholism 10:94–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, T. 1985 “A comment on presenting results from logit and probit models.” American Sociological Review 50:130–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pittman, D. J. 1967 “International overview: Social and cultural factors in drinking patterns, pathological and nonpathological.” In D. J. Pittman (ed.), Alcoholism: 3–20. New York: Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radosevich, M. J., L. Lanza-Kaduce, R. L. Akers, andM. D. Krohn 1979 “The sociology of adolescent drinking behavior: A review of the state of the field, Part I.” Deviant Behavior 1:15–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salibury, W. S. 1964 Religion in American Culture: A Sociological Interpretation. Homewood, IL: Dorsey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singer, E. 1981 “Reference groups and social evaluations.” In M. Rosenberg and R. H. Turner (eds.), Social Psychology: Sociological Perspectives: 66–93. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Single, E., D. Kendel, andB. B. Johnson 1975 “The reliability and validity of drug use response in a large scale longitudinal study.” Journal of Drug Issues 5:426–443.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skolnick, J. 1958 “Religious affiliation and drinking behavior.” Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol 19:452–470.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, R. andS. Bacon 1953 Drinking in College. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, C. R. 1958 Alcohol and the Jews: A Cultural Study of Drinking and Sobriety. New Haven, CT: Yale Center for Alcohol Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tittle, C. R. andM. R. Welch 1983 “Religiosity and deviance: Toward a contingency theory of constraining effects.” Social Forces 61:653–682.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ullman, A. D. 1958 “Sociocultural backgrounds of alcoholism.” The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 315:48–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weshler, H. W., P. Demone, D. Thum, andE. H. Kasey 1970 “Religious-ethnic difference in alcohol consumption.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 11:21–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead, P. D. andR. G. Smart 1972 “Validity and reliability of self-reported drug use.” Canadian Journal of Criminology and Corrections 14:1–8.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wichita State University, USA

    John K. Cochran

  2. University of Florida, USA

    Leonard Beeghley & E. Wilbur Bock

Authors
  1. John K. Cochran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Leonard Beeghley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. Wilbur Bock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cochran, J.K., Beeghley, L. & Bock, E.W. Religiosity and alcohol behavior: An exploration of reference group theory. Sociol Forum 3, 256–276 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01115293

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01115293

Keywords

Search

Navigation