Locus of control and alcohol placebo effects on performance in a driving simulator.
Performance in a driving simulator was evaluated as a function of locus of control, perceived alcohol ingestion (no alcohol versus a no-alcohol placebo), and sex. Using a pretest-posttest design, an analysis of covariance was performed using the pretest performance on a driving simulator as the covariate. There were 10 men and 10 women in each of four groups. As predicted, the external-scoring placebo subjects made more posttest errors than did the internal-scoring placebo group or either of the no-alcohol control groups. This indicated that the external-scoring placebo subjects were more affected by what they expected to happen than their actual physiological state warranted. A difference was also found in which external-scoring women made more errors than did any other group. This was an unexpected finding which, being inconsistent with previous findings involving sex, warrants further research.
Breckenridge
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Department of Psychology, Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA 71497.
Dodd
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D015990:Placebo Effect
D000431:Ethanol