Alcohol research

The Affiliation Motive and Readiness to join Alcoholics Anonymous, Trice HM, Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Vol. 20 (No.2), June, 1959

“Numerous alcoholics have responded to Alcoholics Anonymous upon first exposure, often without subsequent “slips.” Still others react neutrally, or even antagonistically, and remain unattracted to the group and its program for sobriety. The contrast is frequently startling. On the one hand, Jim after going to his first meeting, attends steadily, readily adjusts to the continuous give and take of the casual A.A. atmosphere, and appears to give up his drinking without unusual difficulty. The observer gets the impression that in the A.A. group he has satisfied his emotional needs more effectively than he was able to do through his alcoholism. On the other hand, Bill M. tries the same group under quite similar conditions but reacts adversely, showing only a mild and superficial attraction. He goes a few times but tends to keep to himself at meetings; finds a host of competitors for the A.A. group such as job requirements, family commitments and church affiliations; and soon begins to drink again.

What accounts for this contrasting behavior? A previous study has attempted to compare the experiences and attitudes of affiliates and nonaffiliates during three phases of the affiliation process: before going to any meeting at all, at the time of initial contact with a group, and after attending meetings for a few weeks. In two areas, particularly, there was sharp differentiation between the two groups. The affiliates, in contrast to the nonaffiliates, regarded themselves, before they ever attended a meeting as persons "who often shared their troubles with others." Furthermore, after attending meetings for a few weeks, the affiliates - in much greater numbers than the nonaffiliates - were attracted to the casual, informal interactions that occured before and after the formal A.A. meeting. These two findings suggested that a stronger emotional need for social acceptance existed among affiliates than among nonaffiliates. Apparently an "affiliation motive was aiding those who successfully joined A.A. but was relatively weak in those alcoholics who did not.”

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