<i>Bibi ergo sum</i>: the effects of a placebo and contextual alcohol cues on motivation to drink alcohol



Christiansen, Paul, Townsend, Gareth, Knibb, Graeme ORCID: 0000-0001-9974-834X and Field, Matt ORCID: 0000-0002-7790-5559
(2017) <i>Bibi ergo sum</i>: the effects of a placebo and contextual alcohol cues on motivation to drink alcohol. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, 234 (5). pp. 827-835.

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Abstract

<h4>Rationale</h4>Acute 'priming' doses of alcohol reliably increase alcohol-seeking behaviour in social drinkers. However, the effects of the anticipated (rather than pharmacological) effects of alcohol, and their interaction with contextual alcohol cues, are not well understood.<h4>Objectives</h4>This study aims to determine the extent to which an alcohol-placebo drink increases craving, subjective intoxication and beer consumption, while conjointly investigating the impact of contextual alcohol cues.<h4>Methods</h4>On a within-subject basis, 64 undergraduate social drinkers consumed both a placebo (which they believed to contain alcohol) and a control drink (which they knew did not contain alcohol) in different sessions. Participants completed the study procedures in a bar laboratory designed to look like a 'pub' or a standard psychology lab containing no alcohol-related cues. Craving (Desires for Alcohol Questionnaire) and subjective intoxication were measured pre- and post-drink, and a bogus taste test to measure ad-lib alcohol consumption was completed at the end of each session.<h4>Results</h4>Compared to the control drink, placebo significantly increased craving, ad-lib consumption and subjective intoxication, regardless of environmental context.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Increased craving and ad-lib alcohol consumption after consuming a priming dose of alcohol is at least partly attributable to the anticipated rather than the pharmacological effects of the priming dose.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Alcohol, Anticipated effects, Context, Craving, Priming, Placebo
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 09 Jun 2017 08:39
Last Modified: 12 Oct 2023 15:52
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4518-0
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3007895