We believe that this behavioral choice perspective sheds light on the high level of problem drinking among low-income African American men. As a group, poor African American men have profoundly reduced access to alternative sources of reinforcement, such as financial stability (e.g., employment opportunities, equality in earnings), adequate housing, and access to social support services relative to the level of access available to European American men and African American women in similar living environments (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009; McKinnon, 2003; Stratton, 1993). Our model holds that this reality contributes to the frequency with which alcohol consumption is chosen for two reasons. First, important, alternative sources of reinforcement are less available, leading to more frequent selection of alcohol consumption as a source of reinforcement. Second, because SLRs tend not to be available, heavy drinking cannot cost access to them (e.g., there is no job to lose due to drunkenness). There is reduced disincentive to drink and hence higher levels of problem drinking. The hypothesis that limited SLR access for poor African American men contributes to their higher
