"Når det er søndag, er festen slut"

Abstract

The aim of this study has been to explore the distinctive characteristics of recreational drug users’ self-control, and to examine what motivates such users to develop and use this particular self-control.

I have found that in the matter of recreational drug use it makes sense to distinguish between three types of self-control. I have coined the term management control for the - for recreational drug users probably most essential type of self-control, and defined it as the ability of recreational drug users’ to switch between two types of self-control depending on setting – drug community or societal.

Motivation for recreational drug users to develop and use management control is shown to have roots individually as well as socially. Most importantly, I have found that recreational drug users’ motivation emerges in correlation to their social surroundings both in a close contextual way and in a generally societal way. This has lead to the conclusion that the motivation for development and use of management control most commonly springs from having an obligation to society, such as being employed or studying.

In addition, this study has shown that interactions between recreational drug users and their societal surroundings can, in what Bandura calls vicarious experiences, lead to perception of management control, which in turn influences the motivation for developing and using management control in practice.