"Evaluating theories of alcohol-related aggression using observations of young adults in bars" by Graham,áWest,áand Wells (2000). The authors provided a background for the study, stating that aggression is associated with drinking and empirical studies have researched this relationship and identified more than 50 explanations for it. According to Graham et al., general causes of the relationship include effects of the alcohol and the drinking environment, the personality, attitudes and expectations of the drinker, and societal attitudes, expectations, and values. The authors concluded that the alcohol-aggression relationship is determined by more than one factor and there are multiple contributing causes. Since there are a number of proposed explanations for this association, Graham et al. sought to evaluate them. Thus the purpose of the study was to evaluate 36 explanations of the alcohol-aggression relationship. While a formal hypothesis was not stated, expectations were that there would be multiple explanations of the association between alcohol and aggression.
The method used for this study was natural observations of 105 incidents of aggression, which took place during 93 observations in bars, between midnight and 3 a.m. Each factor was evaluated as an independent variable or contributor to the dependent variable aggression. The bars studied were those frequented by young people since this group is understood to be at high-risk for aggression. The observations were conducted in an unobtrusive manner. Incidents of aggression were documented and rated in accordance to what has been proposed in the research literature. The bars selected had reputations for high rates of aggressive incidents by the police in the community. Most of the bars provided pool tables and games and dancing to recorded music. Most of the patrons were under 25 years of age and were students at a lo
...