“In Vivo Veritas’: an Observational Study of Alcoholics' and Normal Drinkers' patterns of Consumption

Summary Previous observational studies, undertaken in artificial settings, have found differences in the drink preference, sip sine and rate of ingestion for alcoholics when compared to social drinkers. In this study data was collected blind from eleven alcoholics and eleven normal drinkers who were consuming their alcohol in a Clydeside bar. The subjects were unaware of their being observed. The previously found differences were not apparent in this study, and this disagreement questions the validity of using certain specific drinking behaviours as targets for the modification of alcoholics' drinking style.