This work investigates whether the physiological effects of alcohol consumption are the primary determinants of human behavior while intoxicated. Craig MacAndrew and Robert B. Edgerton challenge the prevailing mid-century medical consensus that alcohol acts as a chemical disinhibitor. By synthesizing historical, ethnographic, and cross-cultural data, the authors argue that drunken behavior is largely a product of social expectations and cultural norms rather than biological necessity.

Experts recognize this text as a foundational contribution to the field of alcohol studies for its shift toward anthropological inquiry. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which remains a standard reference for those studying the intersection of social norms and substance use.