Impulsivity and Alcohol-Drinking Behavior: Evidence from Japan

Despite the attempt by the Japanese government to reduce alcohol consumption, reduction of alcohol consumption requires improvement. We explore this issue from the impulsivity perspective and investigate whether a causal relationship exists between impulsivity and drinking behavior. We used data from the Preference Parameter Study of Osaka University to capture respondents' drinking status. Our probit regression showed that procrastination, a proxy measure of impulsivity, was significantly associated with drinking behavior, while hyperbolic discounting, a direct measure of impulsivity, was insignificant. Our findings suggest that impulsive people will discount their health in the future; thus, the government should consider impulsivity in policymaking. For example, awareness programs should focus more on future healthcare costs from alcohol-related problems so that impulsive drinkers can understand how much they may need to spend in the future compared to current satisfaction with alcohol drinking.

Automated summary

Despite the efforts by the Japanese government to reduce alcohol consumption, there is still a need for improvement. This study explores the relationship between impulsivity and drinking behavior and finds that procrastination, a proxy measure of impulsivity, is significantly associated with drinking behavior. The findings suggest that impulsive individuals may discount their future health, highlighting the importance of considering impulsivity in policymaking.