External Variables, Subjective Expected Utility, and Adolescent Behavior with Alcohol and Cigarettes¹

A classic social psychological model is that external variables influence behavior through their impact on subjective expected utility, the extent to which more good or harm is expected from behavior. The purpose of this research was to determine whether subjective expected utility is a major intervening variable that links external variables and the onset of alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking. The data are from two longitudinal studies of adolescents. The findings suggest that subjective expected utility does not account for the relationship between external variables and behavior.