Effects of Deprivation and Pre‐loading on the Experimental Consumption of Tea by Alcoholics and Social Drinkers

An analogy was drawn between the so-called compulsive behaviours af over-eating and over-drinking. A study of drinking by alcoholics and social drinkers (of a non-alcoholic drink) was based on the example of experiments which have analysed the differential effects of various environmental cues on over-eating. During repeated ‘tea taste’ sessions which alternated deprivation and preloading experimental conditions, a differential pattern of consumption was recorded from 14 hospitalised alcoholics and 14 normal drinkers from the local community. The normal drinkers drank significantly more of their overall tolal consumption when deprived (63 per cent) but the alcoholics drank similar quantities whether deprived (51·7 per cent), or preloaded (48·3 per cent).