Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026
13:40
Combining Computer Game-Based Behavioural Experiments With High-Density EEG and Infrared Gaze Tracking
Published on: December 16, 2010
Getting "game": pregaming changes during the first weeks of college
Amie L Haas1, Shelby K Smith, Kari Kagan
1Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA. ahaas@paloaltou.edu
Journal of American College Health : J of ACH
|February 16, 2013
Summary
Pregaming, or drinking before drinking, significantly increased among college freshmen during their first quarter. New pregaming initiation was linked to higher alcohol consumption and potential risks.
Area of Science:
- Addiction research
- College student health
- Substance use studies
Background:
- Pregaming (drinking before drinking) is common among college students.
- Limited data exists on pregaming changes after college entry.
Purpose of the Study:
- Examine pregaming trends during the first college quarter.
- Identify predictors of pregaming change and initiation in college freshmen.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 708 freshmen drinkers at university orientation (baseline).
- Collected self-report data at baseline and end of fall quarter.
- Assessed demographics, alcohol use, pregaming, personality, and expectancies.
Main Results:
- Pregaming rose from 61.7% to 79.9%, with increased frequency and blood alcohol concentration.
- 54% of non-pregamers initiated pregaming by follow-up.
- Initiation correlated with increased drinking, positive expectancies, and behavioral activation sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- Pregaming escalates rapidly upon college entry.
- Initiating pregaming in college may increase alcohol-related problem risk.
- Prevention programs should address pregaming behaviors.
Related Concept Videos
01:38Cognitive Dissonance
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
04:49Robbers Cave
During the 1950s, the landmark Robbers Cave experiment demonstrated that when groups must compete with one another, intergroup conflict, hostility, and even violence may result. At the Oklahoman summer camp, two troops of boys—termed the Rattlers and the Eagles—took part in a week-long tournament. During this time, their negativity culminated in derogatory name-calling, fistfights, and even vandalism and destruction of property. However, this work also revealed that such tension could be...
01:24Social Foundations of Self I: Play and Game
The development of self in children is deeply rooted in social interactions, mainly through stages of play and structured games. These stages, outlined by sociologist George Herbert Mead, illustrate how children progressively learn to understand and adopt social roles, forming a cohesive sense of self.The Play Stage: Imitation and Simple Role-TakingIn the early years of childhood, the play stage is characterized by imitative behavior, where children engage in role-playing based on familiar...
01:04Social Facilitation
Not all intergroup interactions lead to negative outcomes. Sometimes, being in a group situation can improve performance. Social facilitation occurs when an individual performs better when an audience is watching than when the individual performs the behavior alone. This typically occurs when people are performing a task for which they are skilled.
02:10Social Scripts
People tend to know what behavior is expected of them in specific, familiar settings. A script is a person’s knowledge about the sequence of events expected in a specific setting (Schank & Abelson, 1977). Essentially, scripts are a particular kind of schema, one containing default values for the features within an event. In the restaurant example, the script's features include the props (e.g., tables, menu, food, and money), the roles to be played (e.g., customer and waiter), the opening...
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about the way you...