BMJ  2005;331:1512-1514 (24 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7531.1512

Sex, drugs, and rock and roll

Shape of glass and amount of alcohol poured: comparative study of effect of practice and concentration

¹ Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-7801, USA, ² College of Management, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA

Abstract

Objective To determine whether people pour different amounts into short, wide glasses than into tall, slender ones.

Design College students practised pouring alcohol into a standard glass before pouring into larger glasses; bartenders poured alcohol for four mixed drinks either with no instructions or after being told to take their time.

Setting University town and large city, United States.

Participants 198 college students and 86 bartenders.

Main outcome measures Volume of alcohol poured into short, wide and tall, slender glasses.

Results Aiming to pour a "shot" of alcohol (1.5 ounces, 44.3 ml), both students and bartenders poured more into short, wide glasses than into tall slender glasses (46.1 ml v 44.7 ml and 54.6 ml v 46.4 ml, respectively). Practice reduced the tendency to overpour, but not for short, wide glasses. Despite an average of six years of experience, bartenders poured 20.5% more into short, wide glasses than tall, slender ones; paying careful attention reduced but did not eliminate the effect.

Conclusions To avoid overpouring, use tall, narrow glasses or ones on which the alcohol level is premarked. To avoid underestimating the amount of alcohol consumed, studies using self reports of standard drinks should ask about the shape of the glass.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Cohen, D. A. (2008). Neurophysiological Pathways to Obesity: Below Awareness and Beyond Individual Control. Diabetes 57: 1768-1773 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Wansink, B., Sobal, J. (2007). Mindless Eating: The 200 Daily Food Decisions We Overlook. Environment and Behavior 39: 106-123 [Abstract]  
• Sobal, J., Wansink, B. (2007). Kitchenscapes, Tablescapes, Platescapes, and Foodscapes: Influences of Microscale Built Environments on Food Intake. Environment and Behavior 39: 124-142 [Abstract]