When people drink, most think that they feel drunk based on what they have been drinking or how much has been consumed. However, a new study notes that the amount of drink consumed might be more in proportion to who might also be around.
In a study made at Cardiff University, how much one drinks is influenced more with how others around the person also drink. Perception on how drunk a person might be is more related to how he sees others around him. This is true in a situation where there is much beverage involved.
The study shows that people would likely underestimate their own intoxication level if others around them are just as intoxicated. It also notes that drinkers would feel more vulnerable if others around them are sober, according to the Science Daily.
Professor Simon Moore of Cardiff University says that the study could help in dealing with excessive alcohol consumption. That would mean either controlling the number of people drinking in a situation, or add more sober people into an event.
"Irrespective of how much someone has drunk, if they observe others who are more drunk than they are, they feel less at risk from drinking more," Moore observed. For the study 1,862 individuals from different social groups were observed.
The study was done between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings. Four locations near areas where large numbers of alcohol were served were chosen, as Medical Daily reports. The participants were divided into eight groups, one group for each gender in each location.
Though people perceive themselves to be moderately drunk at those times, breath alcohol consumption (BrAC) levels taken show that they exceed U.S. and U.K. driving limits. How the individuals perceive their intoxication then is based more on how drunk they see those around them.
The study shows that environment plays a key role in how much a person drinks. People would tend to drink more if they see others around them to drink as much, but would be more controlled if they see people around them to be sober. Strategies on how to limit intoxication in groups could be made based on the results of the study.
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