A Real‐Time Examination of Context Effects on Alcohol Cognitions. (September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Monk, Rebecca L.; Heim, Derek
• Is Part Of: Alcoholism. Volume 38:Number 9(2014:Sep.)
• Page Start: 2454
• Page End: 2459
• Publication Date: 2014-09
• Subjects: Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoolisme; Electronic journals; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.861005
• DOI: 10.1111/acer.12504
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-6008

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="acer12504-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="acer12504-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>This research used context aware experiential sampling to investigate the effect of contexts on in vivo alcohol‐related outcome expectancies.</p> </sec> <sec id="acer12504-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>A time‐stratified random sampling strategy was adopted to assess 72 students and young professionals at 5 daily intervals over the course of a week using a specifically designed smartphone application. This application recorded respondents' present situational and social contexts, alcohol consumption, and alcohol‐related cognitions in real‐time.</p> </sec> <sec id="acer12504-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>In vivo social and environmental contexts and current alcohol consumption accounted for a significant proportion of variance in outcome expectancies. For instance, prompts which occurred while participants were situated in a pub, bar, or club and in a social group of friends were associated with heightened outcome expectancies in comparison with other settings.</p> </sec> <sec id="acer12504-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Alcohol‐related expectancies do not appear to be static but instead demonstrate variation across social and environmental contexts. Modern technology can be usefully employed to provide a more ecologically valid means of measuring such beliefs.</p> </sec> </abstract>