Inebriation is another important factor related to binge drinking, and it is often reported as the basis for binging (Wechsler et al., 1994). However, alcohol drinkers misbelieve that standard mixed drinks are more potent than standard servings of wine or beer. These individuals also believe that each additional drink they consumed had a decreasing impact on BAC (Jaccard & Turrisi, 1987). Sober adolescents were asked to estimate their perceived level of simulated drunkenness as quantified by whether their BAC was under or over the legal limit while they were exposed to external cues that systematically described drinking scenarios (Turrisi & Wiersma, 1999). The young people underestimated their “perceived” level of inebriation during 19% of the experimental scenarios, suggesting that their judgment was affected by the cues.
