Baseline BrAC was 0.0 in all participants and remained that way throughout the experiment for placebo participants (after the baseline assessment BrAC was not measured in control group participants). For alcohol participants, BrAC increased from pretask (M = .087) to midtask (M = .092) to posttask (M = .094), F(2, 44) = 3.44, p < .05, indicating that on average the entire task was completed as participants approached peak BrAC. Postexperiment estimates of the number of standard drinks consumed were higher in the alcohol group (M = 3.52) than the placebo group (M = 2.41), F(1, 41) = 8.30, p < .01. That placebo participants believed that they had consumed nearly two-and-a-half standard drinks supports the effectiveness of our placebo manipulation. Alcohol group participants reported feeling more intoxicated throughout the study (M = 3.62) than placebo participants (M = 2.26), F(1, 43) = 14.23, p < .01. However, the pattern of responses across assessments [increasing from pretask to midtask and decreasing thereafter; F(2, 86) = 11.62, p < .01] did not vary by beverage group (Beverage × Time interaction: F < 1).
