Fake Pub Studies Drinking Habits

sciencehabit writes "In a pub on the campus of London South Bank University, you may think you're drinking an ice cold brew, but don't be too sure. A fake pub with barstools, beer pumps, and all the trappings of a real one was built on the university for psychologists to better understand how and why we drink. Hidden cameras and a cheerful staff — who are undercover psychology students — help analyze behavior when customers, or test subjects, pay a visit."

Re:So a fake pub with drinks and a place to sit

[ArbitraryName]

Also, psychologists will frown upon any research where the subjects do not know they are part of a research project.

RTFA. The "pub" is in a room on the fourth floor of a university building. No one is being tricked into thinking they're in a real pub. It's just a set to help people relax and act more naturally. Every experiment performed must be approved by the university ethics committee and no one will be given enough alcohol to put them over the legal driving limit.

Re:So a fake pub with drinks and a place to sit

[JanneM]

Note, the subjects do not need to know (and shouldn't know) the actual research being done, just that they're part of a research project. Usually they're told that the researchers are testing one thing, while it's something entirely different that's really being tested.

That generally needs specific approval, though, and normally always requirs that the subject gets briefed about the real intention of the research afterwards. Also, I'm not at all certain that serving alcohol does not constitute medicating the subjects; that would mean a still tougher IRB review and approval process.

Re:So a fake pub with drinks and a place to sit

[mysidia]

no one will be given enough alcohol to put them over the legal driving limit.

Real pubs aren't supposed to give anyone enough alcohol to get them drunk, either.

What temperature?

[ebno-10db]

London South Bank University, you may think you're drinking an ice cold brew

The British don't drink their beer ice cold.

Re:So a fake pub with drinks and a place to sit

[Anonymous Coward]

ArbitraryName didn't say "enough alcohol to get them drunk", they said "enough alcohol to put them over the legal limit". For most people, the legal limit is well below the level of "drunk".

Re:What temperature?

[quenda]

The British don't drink their beer ice cold.

Not that old myth! What you and I call beer, the British call lager, and drink it chilled like everyone else.
But there is an extra option: if you go to a real English pub, and order a traditional ale, it is served at cellar temperature.
These days, lager is much more popular.