Analogue measurement of alcohol consumption: effects for task type and correspondence with self-report measurement.
Properties of a widely used measure of analogue alcohol consumption, the taste-rating task, were investigated. It was predicted and found that the taste-rating task led to more frequent sipping, smaller sip volume and a steeper decline in sipping across the 15 min drinking period than a procedurally similar tavern-evaluation task. These data demonstrate that the taste-rating task conveys implicit "how to drink" demands that seem to alter natural drinking topography. Examination of the correspondence between self-report and analogue consumption revealed that preexperimental estimates of typical drinking were significant yet modest predictors of analogue consumption. Moreover, postexperimental estimates of analogue consumption revealed that subjects accurately self-reported laboratory drinking, with taste-rating subjects showing more accuracy. Limitations of taste-rating methodology and directions for further investigation of analogue consumption measures are discussed.
George
W H
WH
State University of New York, Buffalo 14260.
Phillips
S M
SM
Skinner
J B
JB
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D001944:Breath Tests; D000431:Ethanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D012931:Social Environment; D013649:Taste
D000431:Ethanol