How much influence do your drinking habits have on your children?

Participants completed an electronic task in which they attributed various beverages to illustrated persons. Their parents then completed an online survey that included information on alcohol use and exposure.

The study found a gender-specific effect of exposure to parents' (particularly mothers') drinking on young children's perceptions of person-specific drinking norms.

“By the time consumption is initiated, it is based on years of this observational learning alongside the physical and social contexts in which children live, alcohol's availability, price, and marketing,” Megan and Emmanuel said. “Although there are a variety of potential sources, when children are at a young age parents play a primary role in observational learning and modelling.”