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Sunday, December 7, 2008

Cues that Signal the Alcohol Content of a Beverage and their Effectiveness at Altering Drinking Rates in Young Social Drinkers
Alcohol and Alcoholism 2008 43(6):630-635

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of cues that signal the alcoholic strength of a beverage on drinking rate in young social drinkers.

In both experiments, participants took significantly longer to consume the 7% drink compared with the 3% drink, and the total inter-sip interval was longer for the 7% drink. These effects were most closely related to the participants’ changing estimates of alcohol strength across the test session, alongside concomitant changes in various aspects of self-reported mood. Sensory and hedonic evaluations of the drinks did not affect drinking behaviour in either experiment.

The findings suggest that the consumption rate of an alcoholic beverage can be modulated by its alcohol content, and that the perceived pharmacological effect of the alcohol serves as an effective signal to alter drinking behaviour.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: s.higgs.1@bham.ac.uk
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