In vivo effects of peer modeling on drinking rate.

Abstract

One female subject drank beer with four female confederate models and two participant observers in a small town tavern. A single subject repeated measures reversal design was used. Condition 1 indicated subject baseline drinking rate. For the first intervention one confederate modeled at a rate 50% less than the subject's baseline rate. Interventions II and III were identical to Intervention I except that two confederates modeled at a rate 50% less than the subject's baseline rate for Intervention II and four confederates modeled at a rate 50% less than the subject's baseline rate for Intervention III. Interventions were separated by returns to baseline. The study was concluded with a final return to baseline. There was no change in subject drinking rate as a function of either one or two confederates modeling the 50% rate. However, when four models drank at the lower rate, subject drinking rate matched that of the four confederate models. Implications and suggestions for further research on modeling are presented.