University Students' Knowledge of Alcohol and Drink Stereotypes

First year university students were surveyed about their knowledge of alcohol and its effects, their stereotypes of alcoholics and perceptions of drinkers according to the type of beverage they drink. Students held several myths about drinking and showed a poor knowledge of the way in which the body metabolizes alcohol. Stereotypes of alcoholics were generally favourable with alcoholism perceived as a disease from which a person could recover. Perceptions of those people who drank various popular forms of alcoholic and non‐alcoholic beverages revealed stereotypes which parallel images promoted by the mass media. The influence of the media in promoting certain images of drinkers is discussed.