Short- and long-term effects of fraternity and sorority membership on heavy drinking: A social norms perspective.
Abstract
This study sought to determine whether the well-established relation between fraternity/sorority (Greek) membership and heavy alcohol use persists beyond the college years and whether some common third variables might account for the relation between Greek status and heavy drinking. During each of 4 years of college and 1 additional year, young adults (N = 319) completed measures of alcohol use, personality, alcohol expectancies, and environmental influences on drinking. Throughout the college years, Greeks consistently drank more heavily than non-Greeks. Statistically controlling for previous alcohol use did not eliminate this effect. However, Greek status did not predict postcollege heavy drinking levels. Also, perceived peer norms for heavy drinking mediated the relation between Greek affiliation and heavy alcohol use. Results are discussed in terms of situational determinants of heavy alcohol involvement in young adults.
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Sher et al. (2001) found fraternity/sorority membership significantly predicted heavy drinking even after controlling for precollege levels of alcohol use.
“In one of the few longitudinal studies on this topic, Sher, Bartholow, and Nanda (2001) found fraternity/sorority membership significantly predicted heavy drinking even after controlling for precollege levels of alcohol use.”
From The Influence of Fraternity and Sorority Involvement: A Critical Analysis of Research (1996–2013) (2014) · cites this paper as Sher et al. (2001)
Less involvement in fraternities and sororities generally meant less alcohol consumption.
“The researchers showed less involvement generally meant less consumption.”
From The Influence of Fraternity and Sorority Involvement: A Critical Analysis of Research (1996–2013) (2014) · cites this paper as Sher et al., 2001
Among women, sorority members reported heavier drinking than nonmember women in year one; at year two, patterns were similar for fraternity and sorority members; no significant relation was evident between membership and heavy drinking among women at year three and year four; at year seven, women who had been in a sorority engaged in more alcohol use than women who had never affiliated.
“As opposed to men, sorority members reported heavier drinking than nonmember women in year one.At year two, the patterns were similar for fraternity and sorority members.Also in contrast to the men, no significant relation was evident between membership and heavy drinking among women at year three and year four.Notably, at year seven, women who had been in a sorority engaged in more alcohol use”
From The Influence of Fraternity and Sorority Involvement: A Critical Analysis of Research (1996–2013) (2014) · cites this paper as Sher et al. (2001)
Among men, heavy drinking and fraternity membership were largely unrelated in both the first year of college and three years after college; however, during years two to four, heavy drinking was greater among fraternity members than among nonmembers.
“Examining the same data in a different way, Sher et al. (2001) found among men, heavy drinking and fraternity membership were largely unrelated in both the first year of college and three years after college; however, during years two to four, heavy drinking was greater among fraternity members than among nonmembers.”
From The Influence of Fraternity and Sorority Involvement: A Critical Analysis of Research (1996–2013) (2014) · cites this paper as Sher et al. (2001)
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References 46 · Cited by 237
- Authors
- Sher, K. J., Bartholow, B. D., & Nanda, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Missouri (US)
- Venue
- Psychology of Addictive Behaviors
- Published
- 2001-03
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 42-51
- ISSN
- 0893-164X (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1501
- OpenAlex
- W2111432046
- Cited by
- 237
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 51 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 6.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R01AA007231, P50AA011998, P50 AA 11998, R01 AA7231)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Media Influence and Health
- Keywords
- Greek life, heavy drinking, social norms, peer norms, university students, young adults, alcohol expectancies
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Alcoholism, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Organizations, Peer Group, Prospective Studies, Regression Analysis, Risk Factors, Social Identification, Students, Midwestern United States, Multivariate Analysis
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