Compensatory responses to placebo vary with presumed personality "risk" for alcoholism and drinking habits

Physiological reactions of men who reported intoxication after consuming placebo beer were related to a personality index of presumed "risk" for alcoholism and drinking habits. Presumed personality "risk" varied with decreases in skin conductance. Those at higher "risk" showed a larger compensatory response. Drinking habits varied with decreases in skin temperature. Those who drank more showed larger changes. These results are consistent with work linking risk and compensatory responding, and support compensatory response theory. Nevertheless, these results were found only for a subset of subjects (24 of 81) who reported moderate intoxication after consuming the placebo, limiting generalizability.