The Role and Function of Drinking Games in a University Community

Understanding the role of drinking games in college student life is critical for program planners who wish to develop education and prevention programs to reduce abusive drinking. Drinking games are popular social activities that provide a focus for social interactions but place students at considerable risk for serious consequences. This article reports preliminary results of a study using participant observation and in-depth interviews to develop a typology of drinking games and describe patterns and practices associated with the games.