How much is too much? Measuring popular conceptions of drinking problems.

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Abstract
Vignettes describing the drinking habits of fictitious individuals were rated by 152 college students to examine what factors affect perceptions about the seriousness of drinking. Vignette characteristics accounted for 42% of the variance in seriousness ratings. Two of the correlations between the vignette characteristics and seriousness ratings were not statistically significant, the sex and social class of the fictitious individuals described. The remainder of the correlations, amount consumed (0.378), frequency of drinking (0.153), consequences of drinking (0.081), age (-0.026) and help sought for drinking problems (-0.018), were statistically significant. Respondent characteristics accounted for 6% of the variance in seriousness ratings. Age, sex, institution, ethnicity and marital status were not associated with seriousness ratings. Items rated to the respondent''s own drinking habits, the drinking habits of the respondent''s significant others and the respondent''s religion were statistically significant.