College drinking

This forum contains all archives from the SD Mailing list (go to http://www.systemdynamics.org/forum/ for more information). This is here as a read-only resource, please post any SD related questions to the SD Discussion forum.
Locked
GBHirsch@aol.com
Junior Member
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 3:39 am

College drinking

Post by GBHirsch@aol.com »

Van Bowen asked about modeling student drinking on college campuses.

I dont know of any models of alcohol use per se, but there is a model of
heroin addiction that may be relevant, at least as a source of ideas on how to
model the student drinking problem. In the early 1970s, Ed Roberts, Gil
Levin and I developed a model of heroin addiction in an urban community. The
model had a number of positive loops that produced epidemic-like growth
including one through drug-associated culture as well as the more obvious ones
through heroin supply and simple contagion. Another key element of the model
was the role of the communitys response in making the problem more
persistent. Again, this may have some relevance to the student drinking
problem.

The work was written up in a book by the three of us called The Persistent
Poppy: A Computer-Aided Search for Heroin Policy which is now out of print,
but may be available in some libraries. The work also appears as a chapter in
Ed Roberts book on Managerial Applications of System Dynamics and in an
article in the June, 1972 issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Jack Homer has also modeled cocaine prevalence which may have some relevance
as well.

Gary Hirsch
GBHirsch@aol.com
Van Bowen
Junior Member
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 3:39 am

College drinking

Post by Van Bowen »

Hello All:

I am about to work on a project - a model
for the students development of serious
drinking on US campuses. Do you know anyone
who has worked on such a model? I am
treating it as a campus epidemic and have
no idea of the things which drive it.

Van Bowen

Professor of Mathematics
Math & CS Department
University of Richmond
Virginia 23173 vbowen@richmond.edu
804-289-8081 http://www.mathcs.richmond.edu/~bowen/

"Learn never to allow your behavior to stop your learning."
Khalid Saeed
Senior Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 3:39 am

College drinking

Post by Khalid Saeed »

Jim,

I think, there is also a sliding goal archetype present in the college
drinking process. Drinking might relieve a perception of social awkwardness
in the short run (negative feedback), but addiction resulting from it would
create a social outcast in the long run exacerbating the need to escape,
while the physioilogical processes would simultaneously further increase
the need to drink.

Khalid
From: Khalid Saeed <saeed@WPI.EDU>

_____________________________________
Khalid Saeed
Professor and Department Head
Social Science and Policy Studies
W. P. I., 100 Institute Road
Worcester, MA 01609, USA

Ph: 508-831-5563; fax: 508-831-5896

http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/SSPS/
Khalid Saeed
Senior Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2002 3:39 am

College drinking

Post by Khalid Saeed »

Jim,

I think the need to drink is the sliding goal, which indeed would be
further intensified by the increasing acceptance you have described. I
agree social outcast is an inaccurate term. We are perhaps dealing more
with self perception than with the others perception. Self-perception of
awkwardness should, therefore, also slide as a drinking habbit forms.

Best,

Khalid
From: Khalid Saeed <saeed@WPI.EDU>
_____________________________________
Khalid Saeed
Professor and Department Head
Social Science and Policy Studies
W. P. I., 100 Institute Road
Worcester, MA 01609, USA

Ph: 508-831-5563; fax: 508-831-5896

http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/SSPS/
Locked