Research Paper on the Motivations of Alcohol Consumption on College Campuses
Matthew Parker
Sociology 310
Research Paper
David Mickey-Pabello
Introduction:
College students’ alcohol consumption has been an area of concern for universities for quite some time now. The purpose of my research is to examine the different motivations behind alcohol consumption among undergraduate students at the University of Michigan in comparison to Division 1 athletes also enrolled at Michigan. I seek to find if the stresses of balancing academics and athletics, pressure to perform, and adapting to social change effect the rate in which Division I college athletes consume alcohol compared to their non-athlete peers? Ultimately, I hypothesize from experience there to be a significant difference in the proportion of athletes who consume alcohol in comparison to both the average college student and students affiliated in Greek life. Furthermore, I believe this difference in proportion may be majorly attributed to the high commitment that comes with being a student-athlete. Research on alcohol use among athletes and non-athletes is vital in order to understand why the abuse of alcohol is on the rise around college campuses all over the nation. These two concepts are related because there may be a significant difference between athlete’s alcohol consumption and their non-athlete peers that is imperative to analyze. I want to know if the differences stem from personal motivations or if environments, for example Greek Life, play the predominant role among college students alcohol consumption. Furthermore, within the population of college students, researchers have identified the subpopulation of college athletes as being at an increased risk for heavier alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and drinking-related negative consequences (Anderson, Albrecht, McKeag, Hough, & McGrew). Based on these findings, I set out to explore what the determining factors are that could possibly make college athletes more at risk for alcohol consumption
Sociology 310
Research Paper
David Mickey-Pabello
Introduction:
College students’ alcohol consumption has been an area of concern for universities for quite some time now. The purpose of my research is to examine the different motivations behind alcohol consumption among undergraduate students at the University of Michigan in comparison to Division 1 athletes also enrolled at Michigan. I seek to find if the stresses of balancing academics and athletics, pressure to perform, and adapting to social change effect the rate in which Division I college athletes consume alcohol compared to their non-athlete peers? Ultimately, I hypothesize from experience there to be a significant difference in the proportion of athletes who consume alcohol in comparison to both the average college student and students affiliated in Greek life. Furthermore, I believe this difference in proportion may be majorly attributed to the high commitment that comes with being a student-athlete. Research on alcohol use among athletes and non-athletes is vital in order to understand why the abuse of alcohol is on the rise around college campuses all over the nation. These two concepts are related because there may be a significant difference between athlete’s alcohol consumption and their non-athlete peers that is imperative to analyze. I want to know if the differences stem from personal motivations or if environments, for example Greek Life, play the predominant role among college students alcohol consumption. Furthermore, within the population of college students, researchers have identified the subpopulation of college athletes as being at an increased risk for heavier alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and drinking-related negative consequences (Anderson, Albrecht, McKeag, Hough, & McGrew). Based on these findings, I set out to explore what the determining factors are that could possibly make college athletes more at risk for alcohol consumption
References: Goodman, Kathleen. 2006. “Alcohol and College Outcomes”. Iowa City, IA: Center for Research on Undergraduate Education. Jones, Jacob. 2011. “The Risk Factors of Alcohol Abuse Among College Athletes”. Terre Haute, IN: Department of Communication Disorders and Counseling, School, and E Educational Psychology Indiana State University O’Brien, C. Mary. 2013. “Alcohol Related Injury Among Greek Letter College Students”. Wake q Forest School of Medicine Pascarella, T. Ernest. 2011. “College Student Binge Drinking and Academic Achievement”. Iowa Iowa City, IA: Center for Research on Undergraduate Education. Presley, Cheryl, Ph.D., Meilman, W. Philip, Ph.D., Leichliter, S. Jami, Ph.D. 2003. “College Factors Factors that Influence Drinking”. Carbondale, Illinois: Student Health Programs, SoutherSouthern Illinois University