Research Article

Differential effects of alcohol and alcohol expectancy on risk-taking during simulated driving

  1. Scott E. Burian1,
  2. Rebecca Hensberry2,
  3. Anthony Liguori1,*

Article first published online: 17 JAN 2003

DOI: 10.1002/hup.473

Issue

Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental

Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental

Volume 18, Issue 3, pages 175–184, April 2003

Additional Information

How to Cite

Burian, S. E., Hensberry, R. and Liguori, A. (2003), Differential effects of alcohol and alcohol expectancy on risk-taking during simulated driving. Hum. Psychopharmacol. Clin. Exp., 18: 175–184. doi: 10.1002/hup.473

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA

  2. 2

    Department of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA

*Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1083, USA.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 27 MAR 2003
  2. Article first published online: 17 JAN 2003
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 21 NOV 2002
  4. Manuscript Received: 18 JUL 2002

Funded by

  • R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Grant Number: AA07565-07
  • National Institute for Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

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Keywords:

  • alcohol drinking;
  • balanced placebo design;
  • risk-taking;
  • simulated-driving;
  • subjective report

Abstract

This study examined the separate and combined effects of alcohol (0.0 or 0.5 g/kg) and alcohol expectancies (none or 2–3 standard drinks) on risk-taking using a simulated-driving lane choice task. In this task, risk-taking was operationalized as choosing a cone-defined lane with a higher relative probability of hitting a cone. When alcohol was received but not expected, the probability of a risky lane choice increased compared with when alcohol was neither expected nor received. However, when subjects both expected and received alcohol, the probability of a risky lane choice was significantly decreased compared with when alcohol was neither expected nor received. These findings suggest that the knowledge of dose received can differentially influence the pharmacological effect of alcohol on decision-making. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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