A number of implications of the theory we have offered can be tested empirically. Tests of the theory would require epidemiological research, laboratory studies, and field studies. For example, one implication of our model is that changes in unemployment among African American males should alter perceived access to SLRs, and thus alter drinking levels. The U.S. experienced a sharp increase in the overall unemployment rate in the late 2000’s, and the unemployment rate was considerably higher for African American males (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011). Our theory would suggest that one result of this trend would be a sharper increase in alcohol consumption among unemployed African American males compared to unemployed European American males and African American females.
