Boozy films and ads make viewers drink more - health - 04 March 2009 - New Scientist
Posted: March 4th, 2009 | Author: karlfrankjr | Filed under: Arts & Entertainment, Health, Karl Frank Jr., Parenting, Psychology, Science | Tags: alcohol, Becoming Jane, Beer, New Scientist, Parenting, Radboud University, Ruger Engels, Science | Comment Here »I know it is anecdotal at best, but based on personal experience, I believe this 100%. Not only does it make me instantly crave a drink on many occasions, what I crave depends on what the actor or actress is drinking. Last evening was a perfect example. My wife and I were watching Becoming Jane when the male lead sat in a pub with a mug of beer. My taste buds instantly lit up. If it wasn’t for the Strawberry Nestle Quick I had just downed, I may have given in to temptation.
If you find yourself craving a beer next time you’re watching someone do the same on your TV, you won’t be alone.
Two studies suggest that people drink more when viewing drinking behaviour in films and advertisements. The results strengthen calls for tighter regulations on how and when alcohol is portrayed in movies and commercials.
"Although we do not argue for banning alcohol portrayals in movies, it might be an idea to explicitly warn people, especially parents, that movies contain such scenes, and that these affect drinking directly," says lead researcher, Rutger Engels of Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Boozy films and ads make viewers drink more - health - 04 March 2009 - New Scientist
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