The article in which this report is based on is entitled Decision Making in Altered States: Effects of Alcohol on Attitudes Toward Drinking and Driving. The results of this study were based on three separate investigations, one lab experiment and two field studies. I have chosen to analyze the lab experiment because its results dealt with the information in the text book more so than the two field studies.
             There were 57 men chosen from a pool of first year psychology students based on a pretest on which they stated that they were at least 19 years of age, that they owned a car and that they spent at least $20.00 on alcohol each month. A minimum age of 19 was necessary because it is the legal drinking age in Ontario.
             Once the participants were chosen, they were put into groups of three, and were randomly assigned to either the alcohol or sober condition. The participants assigned to the sober condition are members of the control group since no parts of their environment are being manipulated. The dependent variable in the experiment then is the blood alcohol level in each of the members of the alcohol condition.
             Both groups were weighed in order to assess the accuracy of their intoxication level estimates. However, in the alcohol condition, after being weighed each participant was given three alcoholic drinks with 20 minute intervals in between. The intent of the investigators was to control the BAL of the participants and keep it as close to 0.08%, which is the legal limit in Ontario.
             Once the drinks were administered to the alcohol condition, participants from both groups were given a survey to assess the investigators' theories on drinking and driving. The questionnaire was identical for both groups.
             The ethical considerations of the study were apparent at the completion of the experiment as no one was allowed to drive home intoxicated. The participants were retained for an hour after the study. If their BAL...