Alcohol expectancies, social and environmental cues as determinants of drinking and perceived reinforcement

Increasing evidence suggests that outcome expectancies and environmental cues interact to influence post-drinking behaviors. Using an experimental methodology in a simulated social drinking setting, this research tested the potential influence of expectations for the effects of drinking, environmental cues, and beverage content on ad lib consumption and post-drinking self-perception. Eighty-eight moderate to heavy-drinking males were randomly assigned to one of eight experimental conditions in which beverage content (alcohol or placebo), social environment (friendly or unfriendly), and physical environment (simulated bar or residence) were varied. Subjects were further divided into high and low groups on three outcome expectancy factors. Unaffected by environmental cues, beverage self-administration increased when subjects strongly expected behavioral impairment from drinking but received placebo beverage. Post-drinking reports of disinhibition increased in response to friendly social cues but were not affected by beverage content or amount. Results therefore suggest that individual's beliefs about the effects of drinking influence the amounts of beverage they consume, whereas social cues more greatly affect post-drinking self-perception.