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Drinking in social groups. Does 'groupdrink' provide safety in numbers when deciding about risk?

Hopthrow, Tim, Randsley de Moura, Georgina, Meleady, Rose, Abrams, Dominic, Swift, Hannah J. (2014) Drinking in social groups. Does 'groupdrink' provide safety in numbers when deciding about risk? Addiction, 109 (6). pp. 913-921. ISSN 1360-0443. (doi:10.1111/add.12496) (KAR id:41113)

Abstract

AimsTo investigate the impact of alcohol consumption on risk decisions taken both individually and while part of a four- to six-person ad-hoc group.DesignA 2 (alcohol: consuming versus not consuming alcohol) x 2 (decision: individual, group) mixed-model design; decision was a repeated measure. The dependent variable was risk preference, measured using choice dilemmas.SettingOpportunity sampling in campus bars and a music event at a campus-based university in the United Kingdom.ParticipantsA total of 101 individuals were recruited from groups of four to six people who either were or were not consuming alcohol.MeasurementsParticipants privately opted for a level of risk in response to a choice dilemma and then, as a group, responded to a second choice dilemma. The choice dilemmas asked participants the level of accident risk at which they would recommend someone could drive while intoxicated.FindingsFive three-level multi-level models were specified in the software program HLM 7. Decisions made in groups were less risky than those made individually (B = -0.73, P < 0.001). Individual alcohol consumers opted for higher risk than non-consumers (B = 1.27, P = 0.025). A significant alcohol?×?decision interaction (B = -2.79, P = 0.001) showed that individual consumers privately opted for higher risk than non-consumers, whereas risk judgements made in groups of either consumers or non-consumers were lower. Decisions made by groups of consumers were less risky than those made by groups of non-consumers (B = 1.23, P < 0.001).ConclusionsModerate alcohol consumption appears to produce a propensity among individuals towards increased risk-taking in deciding to drive while intoxicated, which can be mitigated by group monitoring processes within small (four- to six-person) groups.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1111/add.12496
Uncontrolled keywords: Alcohol; decision making; field study; groups; group processes; multi-level model; risk; social drinking
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Tim Hopthrow
Date Deposited: 21 May 2014 15:26 UTC
Last Modified: 16 May 2021 22:09 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/41113 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Hopthrow, Tim.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2331-7150
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Randsley de Moura, Georgina.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6285-6128
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Abrams, Dominic.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2113-4572
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Swift, Hannah J..

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
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