The relative importance of cultural and physiological factors in alcohol consumption patterns among Caucasians and Chinese

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dc.contributor.authorLi, Han Z. (Han Zao)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-14T21:03:33Z
dc.date.available2024-08-14T21:03:33Z
dc.date.copyright1991en_US
dc.date.issued1991
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Psychology
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts M.A.en
dc.description.abstractUp until now, studies of alcohol consumption patterns comparing Chinese and Caucasians have found significant differences in the two ethnic groups, but the explanation of cultural versus physiological origins of the differences are controversial. The present research tried to ascertain the relative importance of physiological and cultural factors by way of model testing. The present research compared 178 Canadian Chinese and 161 Caucasians with respect to their alcohol consumption patterns, the number of physical symptoms reported while drinking alcohol, as well as cultural norms/values related to alcohol use. Besides using common descriptive and inferential statistical procedures, three path analysis models were also tested. Three aggregate variables (Cultural Norms, Physical Symptoms, and Alcohol Consumption Patterns) were constructed to test these models. Important findings include: 1. Cultural Norms appears to relate significantly to alcohol consumption patterns. The correlations between Cultural Norms and Alcohol Consumption Patterns are significant in both ethnic groups (r=.48 for Chinese and r=.56 for Caucasians). On the other hand, Physical Symptoms do not appear to relate significantly to Alcohol Consumption Patterns. The correlations between Physical Symptoms and Alcohol Consumption Patterns are not significant in either ethnic group (r=.09 for Chinese and r=.12 for Caucasians). Also, the correlations between Physical Symptoms and Cultural Norms are not significant in either ethnic groups (r=.11 for Chinese and r=.10 for Caucasians). 2. A significantly higher proportion of Caucasians are current drinkers. Conversely a significantly higher proportion of Chinese are abstainers. 3. There is no significant difference between Chinese and Caucasians in terms of the number of physical symptoms reported following alcohol use. 4. Chinese who were more assimilated into the western culture were more likely to be current drinkers. 5. Participants' beliefs about alcohol use were found to be significantly correlated with their drinking patterns in both ethnic groups. These findings seem to indicate a cultural explanation, which suggests that Chinese do not consume as much alcohol as Caucasians. This may be due to Chinese culture which discourages drinking, especially in excess, in contrast to western culture which accepts and encourages the use of alcoholic beverages.
dc.format.extent213 pages
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/18648
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.titleThe relative importance of cultural and physiological factors in alcohol consumption patterns among Caucasians and Chineseen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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