A recent study by VicHealth and RMIT University concluded that there are four types of drinkers out there (or at least in Victoria). Embodying Australia’s huge drinking culture, it comes as no surprise that not only are there a lot of drinkers in Oz, but drinkers can be categorised into subgroups. Yep, us Aussies certainly love slowly destroying our livers.
The study was done by interviewing 187 drinkers (that’s a lot of pissheads!) and also an online survey that 2,500 Victorians on what influences their drinking behaviour on a night out. Things like how much a person drank and how they influenced their peers to drink were factors in determining what type of drinker you were.
The point of the survey was to help curve excessive drinking amongst young people, citing Initiators and Followers as “problematic”. Aussies drink at all sorts of occasions, from clubbing, weddings, christenings, etc., and VicHealth feel that this is an issue that needs to be discussed, such as why we feel the need to drink so often. But I’m not here to get into the politics of it; I love having a couple of coldies as much as the rest of us do (more so than Moderators and Protectors do though going by the results).
1. The Initiator (43% of people surveyed)
Definitely the most proactive of the bunch, Initiators are essentially party animals who always makes sure you’re always drinking. The flow of alcohol will never cease and they’ll always make sure each night clubbing becomes “one of those nights”. They also tend to know all there is to know about alcohol and what the best clubs in town are. You’re always guaranteed a top night out if you’re partying with an Initiator. If only I was this cool.
2. The Follower (13% of people surveyed)
Followers are fun, easy going types who enjoy going with the flow of things, but are also influenced by pressures from social expectations of drinking. As the name suggests, they go along with whatever Initiators do, and are the ones Initiators make sure keep drinking. Being the lowest percentage of the four groups determined from this survey, something tells me participants fibbed a bit to make themselves sound cooler or more “hardcore” (i.e. wanting to be Initiators rather than doing what Initiators tell them to do). Oh well.
3. The Moderator (26% of people surveyed)
This lot swear are a shining example of those who preach to young people to “drink in moderation”. Moderators can take care of themselves on a night out and know their limits with drinking. Once they feel they’ve had enough, like after one or two drinks, they stop drinking for the night. They’re not too fussed about having a full on night out; in fact, they prefer more chilled out places, so you could say they’re more bar people than nightclub people.
4. The Protector (21% of people surveyed)
I’d imagine a lot of these are older siblings of younger people who invited said older sibling out clubbing with them. They’re the type who look out for all those in the group to make sure no one stupidly gets themselves involved in a punch on that can very easily be avoided. Protectors aren’t that fussed about getting drunk (so I assume their drunk mates often get them to play deso).
Want to know what type of drinker you are? Find out by doing VicHealth’s quiz! I thought I was a Moderator, but it turns out I’m a Follower. Turns out I drink more than I thought (whether that’s good or bad is up for debate).
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