Understanding Intoxicated Violence From a Rational Choice Perspective: Jean-Marc Assaad and M. Lyn Exum

Though striking, these findings do not offer a theoretical basis for the link between alcohol intoxication and violence. The relationship may be artifactual (spurious), such that situational or personality factors act as a common cause for both alcohol consumption and violent behavior (Pernanen 1981). Alternatively, the relationship between alcohol and violence may be causal, such that alcohol directly, indirectly, or interactionalIy causes aggression.