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The effect of modelling on drinking rate
Insights
College seniors adjusted their beer consumption to match a confederate
Area of Science:
- Behavioral psychology
- Social influence studies
Background:
- Social conformity is a well-documented phenomenon.
- Understanding peer influence on behavior is crucial, especially in social settings like bars.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the extent to which individuals conform to peer drinking rates.
- To examine social influence on alcohol consumption in a controlled environment.
Main Methods:
- An ABACA single-subject design was employed with three male college seniors.
- Participants consumed beer in a simulated tavern, with a confederate matching or altering their drinking rate.
- Sessions lasted 1 hour, continuing until stable drinking rates were observed.
Main Results:
- All participants closely matched the drinking rate of their confederate, regardless of whether it was higher or lower than their own baseline.
- Subjects demonstrated significant behavioral adjustment to conform to the confederate's pace.
- Participants reported unawareness of the study's specific focus on drinking behavior.
Conclusions:
- Social influence significantly impacts individual drinking rates.
- Peer behavior can powerfully shape alcohol consumption patterns, even when individuals are unaware of the influence.
- This study highlights the subtle yet potent effects of social dynamics on health-related behaviors.
Abstract:
Three male college seniors were asked to drink beer at their normal rate in a simulated tavern setting. Each was paired with a confederate, also a male college senior, in an ABACA single subject design. In the baseline conditions, the confederate matched the drinking rate of the subject. Baseline and all subsequent conditions were continued in 1-hr sessions until a stable drinking rate was achieved. In Condition B, the confederate drank either one third more or one third less than the subject's baseline rate. In Condition C, the direction was reversed. All three subjects closely matched the confederate's drinking rate, whether high or low. All subjects reported they were unaware of the true purpose of the study.