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Testing a frequency of exposure hypothesis in attentional bias for alcohol-related stimuli amongst social drinkers

Albery, Ian P., Sharma, Dinkar, Noyce, Simon, Frings, Daniel, Moss, Antony C. (2015) Testing a frequency of exposure hypothesis in attentional bias for alcohol-related stimuli amongst social drinkers. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 1 . pp. 68-72. ISSN 2352-8532. (doi:10.1016/j.abrep.2015.05.001) (KAR id:48396)

Abstract

Aims

To examine whether a group of social drinkers showed longer response latencies to alcohol-related stimuli than neutral stimuli and to test whether exposure to 1) an alcohol-related environment and 2) consumption related cues influenced the interference from alcohol-related stimuli.

Methods

A 2 × 2 × 2 × 5 factorial design with Exposure Group (high, low) and Consumption Group (high, low) as between-participant factors and Word Type (alcohol, neutral) and Block (1–5) as within-participant factors was used. Forty-three undergraduate university students, 21 assigned to a high exposure group and 22 to a low exposure group, took part in the experiment. Exposure Group was defined according to whether or not participants currently worked in a bar or pub. Consumption Group was defined according to a median split on a quantity–frequency measure derived from two questions of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) questionnaire. A modified computerised Stroop colour naming test was used to measure response latencies.

Results

Exposure and consumption factors interacted to produce greater interference from alcohol-related stimuli. In particular, the low consumption group showed interference from alcohol-related stimuli only in the high exposure condition. Exposure did not affect the magnitude of interference in the high consumption group.

Conclusions

Attentional bias is dependent upon exposure to distinct types of alcohol-related cues.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.abrep.2015.05.001
Uncontrolled keywords: Attentional bias Cues Stroop effect Addiction social drinkers
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Dinkar Sharma
Date Deposited: 13 May 2015 11:47 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Feb 2021 13:24 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/48396 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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