Citation

Fillmore MT, Vogel-Sprott MD. J. Stud. Alcohol 1995; 56(1): 90-98.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7752640

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Two experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that the amount of alcohol-induced impairment that a drinker expects will predict his response to alcohol and to placebo. METHOD: Social drinkers (N = 81) were familiarized with a laboratory motor skill task before they rated the amount of impairment on the task that they expected from a moderate dose of alcohol. The degree of change in the subjects' performance was measured during an alcohol session and a subsequent session where alcohol was expected but a placebo was received. RESULTS: Subjects who expected greater impairment displayed poorer performance under alcohol (0.35 g/kg) and under placebo. CONCLUSIONS: This evidence calls attention to the importance of expectancies as a factor that may contribute to the understanding of individual differences in behavior under alcohol and a placebo.

Language: en