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Analogue Measurement of Alcohol Consumption: Effects for Task Type and Correspondence with Self-Report Measurement
William H. George, Suzanne M. Phillips, Jeremy B. Skinner
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.
