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The Behavioral Economics of Alcohol Demand in French and American University Students
Author(s) -
Martinetti Margaret P.,
Caughron Rebecca L.,
Berman Hanna L.,
André Judith,
Sokolowski Michel B. C.,
Wiley Shaun,
Naassila Mickaël
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13954
Subject(s) - alcohol , price elasticity of demand , alcohol consumption , consumption (sociology) , behavioral economics , economics , psychology , medicine , environmental health , microeconomics , sociology , chemistry , social science , biochemistry
Background Behavioral economic approaches have revealed several characteristics of alcohol demand (e.g., intensity, elasticity, and essential value) in university students; however, these approaches have not yet examined alcohol demand among students outside of the United States. The current study examined alcohol demand among student samples in the United States and France using a hypothetical alcohol purchase task (APT) and a novel APT Choice task, in which nonalcoholic beverages were concurrently available at a fixed low price. Methods Participants at each site (United States, n = 132; France, n = 132) were asked to complete an Internet‐based survey including the APT, APT Choice, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Daily Drinking Questionnaire, and Drinking Motives Questionnaire‐Revised Short Form. Group demand functions were produced for each of the 2 samples in both country‐specific and standardized drink units, and the exponential demand equation was fitted to each of the APT and APT Choice demand curves. Slope analyses were performed on the Non‐Alcoholic Cross‐Price demand to assess substitutability. Results APT data revealed that in both samples, alcohol price and consumption were inversely related and demand measures were significantly associated with other alcohol measures. In addition, the availability of a nonalcoholic alternative reduced alcohol demand in both samples, with evidence of substitutability revealed by increases in cross‐price consumption. Conclusions Low‐cost alcohol is associated with increased alcohol consumption in both French and U.S. university students, and concurrent availability of a nonalcoholic beverage within the APT both reduces alcohol demand and demonstrates behavioral economic substitutability. These findings will inform future studies investigating behavioral and environmental factors underlying transcultural differences and specific prevention efforts.