Schemas, Identity, and Alcohol

• In Event: 30809 - Culture and Identity

Abstract

This study examines the intersection of cultural sociology, identity processes, and alcohol consumption by investigating the cultural schematic associations individuals develop around drinking. Using a survey administered to a university student sample, this study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate demographic influences on drinker identity. The survey consists of two primary sections: a structured assessment of drinker identity along seven dimensions—identity, self-image, personality, everyday life, value, affect, and sociality—and an open-ended component that captures cultural schemas surrounding alcohol consumption. Through statistical analyses, this study investigates variations in alcohol-related schemas across gender, class, age, religion, racialized, and drinker groups. Additionally, a concept mapping technique using Python will be employed to visualize the schematic associations individuals form regarding alcohol. By integrating cultural and identity perspectives, this study offers proposes a framework for future alcohol intervention strategies.

Author

• Colter J. Uscola, University of British Columbia