Personality, learning and risk for alcoholism

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed research is an important step in testing the acquired preparedness model. In this model, the stable personality trait of disinhibition, detectable as early as one year of age, involves a bias to focus on the rewarding aspects of events, when both rewards and punishments are present. When this bias encounters alcohol-related learning, it leads to a bias to form positive or reward-based expectancies for alcohol consumption. The influence of disinhibition on drinking level is thus mediated by positive alcohol expectancy. Trait inhibition. also detectable by age one, involves a bias to focus on the punishing aspects of events, when both rewards and punishments occur. When this bias encounters alcohol-related learning, it leads to a bias to form negative alcohol expectancies, which in turn leads to less consumption. The goal of the proposed research program is to demonstrate in three age groups that: 1.) individual differences in trait disinhibition and trait inhibition are present prior to alcohol expectancy formation; 2.) these traits correlate with individual differences in alcohol expectancies once the latter are present; and 3.) these traits? influence on alcohol consumption, once it is underway, is mediated by alcohol expectancy.