title: "Queasy does it": false alcohol beliefs and memories may lead to diminished alcohol preferences.
abstract: Studies have shown that false memories can be implanted via innocuous suggestions, and that these memories can play a role in shaping people's subsequent attitudes and preferences. The current study explored whether participants (N=147) who received a false suggestion that they had become ill drinking a particular type of alcohol would increase their confidence that the event had occurred, and whether their new-found belief would subsequently affect their alcohol preferences. Results indicated that participants who received a suggestion that they had gotten sick drinking rum or vodka before the age of 16 reported increased confidence that the suggested experience had occurred. Moreover, participants who received a false alcohol suggestion also showed a strong trend to report diminished preference for the specified type of alcohol after the false suggestion. Implantation of a false memory related to one's past drinking experiences may influence current drink preferences and could be an important avenue for further exploration in the development of alcohol interventions.
authors.affiliation: Addictive Behaviors Research Center, Box 351629, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. seemac@uw.edu
authors.forename: Seema L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Clifasefi
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mantonakis
authors.forename: Elizabeth F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Loftus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012094:Repression, Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D013404:Suggestion; D055815:Young Adult