Panoramic projection: affording a wider view on contextual influences on alcohol-related cognitions

Although much is known about the effect of one's cognitions on alcohol consumption, there has been considerably less examination of their contextually varying nature. Using panoramic filming and projection as a system of controlled contextual cueing the present study examined the effect of social influence and environmental cues on alcohol-related cognitions. A 2 × 2 factorial design simultaneously varied environmental cues (bar or lecture based panoramic videos) with social influence (peer group or solitary assessment). Results indicated that participants' positive outcome expectancies were higher, and drink refusal self efficacy was lower, when they were assessed as part of a group rather than alone. Participants exposed to pub, as opposed to lecture-based cues, also showed greater expectancies and lower drink refusal self efficacy. An interactive effect of social influence and environmental cues was observed for both positive and negative expectancies. Group testing and alcohol-related cueing also resulted in higher ratings of participants' own and others' alcohol consumption when compared with solitary testing and neutral cueing conditions. It is concluded that environmental and social contextual factors may be important mediators of alcohol-related cognitions, a finding that potentially has implications for the delivery of interventions.