Previous attempts to understand, and develop countermeasures for, drinking-driving behaviour can be characterized by a focus on either the person or the environment as the cause of the behaviour. Recently, in efforts to resolve differences between situation-based and person-based models of behaviour causation, several theorists have proposed the interactionist model for investigating and understanding human behaviour. This paper describes some characteristics of the interactionist model of behaviour, and explores the application of the model to the drinking-driving problem. While the model does not yet present any prescriptions for the problem, it can reconcile conflicting observations, observations, propose methods for the identification of risk factors, and suggest procedures to improve the effectiveness of countermeasures. (A)
Abstract