Chunk #54 — Explanations for Greater Negative Social Consequences of Alcohol Use among African Americans Compared to European Americans — Vulnerability to Alcohol Effects
Another protective factor that may serve as a risk factor is the genetic vulnerability to alcohol based on the presence of the ADH1B*3 allele. There is evidence that individuals with the ADH1B*3 allele who drink alcohol are more likely to report more positive expectancies for drinking, such as expectancies for enhanced sexual performance, physical/social pleasure, and increased social assertiveness (Ehlers et al., 2003). Because expectancies are understood to represent summaries of individuals’ learning histories (Bolles, 1972; Goldman, 1999; Goldman, Brown, Christiansen, & Smith., 1991), it appears that individuals with this allele may be experiencing these effects more strongly and more quickly than others, given the faster ethanol metabolism rate for these individuals. Based on this research, it may be the case that stronger expectancies experienced among African Americans with ADH1B*3 may result in more overt behaviors associated with intoxication, even at lower levels of use (Ehlers et al., 2003).
