Drinking: Reality Versus Perception

"Really?" and "I'm surprised!" are the most common reactions I get-along with an incredulous jaw drop-to the truth about student drinking at UC Berkeley. Fact is: The percent of Cal student drinkers is below the national average, and it has decreased 15 percent over the past five years.

We are average, however, in our overestimations of how much students drink. Our misperceptions about drinking, the gaps between what students do and what we think they do, are substantial. So before any of us embark on exploring new personal, campus or national alcohol policies like lowering the drinking age, increasing alcohol taxes or instituting Friday morning classes and exams, let's get real.

According to the Fall 2007 California Safer Universities Study, Cal undergraduates misestimated the percent of undergraduates who don't drink (perceived: seven percent; actual: 24.6 percent), drink once a week or more (perceived: 40 percent; actual: 28.7 percent), drink five or more drinks when they drink (perceived: 37 percent; actual: 17 percent).

Sometimes called the "reign of error," these misperceptions have been shown to have a strong influence on drinking behavior and, I would guess, on some formal and informal campus alcohol policies and practices as well. We are all influenced more by what we think others do than by real behaviors. New students in particular, who will establish their long-term drinking pattern by mid-October, may want to get a reality-check before reaching that personal milestone.

If you're like those who've spun the Most Students Do PartySafe@Cal Prize Wheel since the Tang Center began that campaign last spring, you probably believe that damaging property, passing out, getting behind in schoolwork and arguing with friends are part of most students' drinking experience. You'd guess that 70 percent argued with friends when drinking in the past semester, but it's actually about 15 percent. You'd guess that 25 percent damaged property when drinking, but it's about seven percent.

Am I saying our tendency to overestimate means these alcohol-related issues are really no big problem? Quite the reverse. Overestimating served to "normalize" the behaviors and related harms-the "just part of college life and nothing can change that" refrain. But once we get real and talk truth about student drinking at Cal, we'll more accurately notice, speak up about and help interrupt harmful drinking practices. We'll continue to build a campus and community environment in which safe and intelligent choices about drinking are increasingly average.