Research & Resources

Researchers examined the effects of placebo beverages in group settings for possible disruptive effects caused by other participants. They found that participants in group settings reported consuming an alcoholic beverage and feeling intoxicated, just like when consuming a placebo beverage alone. Their result adds to the methodological toolkit for researchers when isolating the effects of alcohol in social contexts. This study, “Using Placebo Beverages in Group Alcohol Studies,” was published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. It was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.