People copying pal's drinking orders likely to deny being influenced

People who copy their pal's drinking behaviour are likely to deny that their decision has been influenced, according to a study.

The new study, conducted in the University of Liverpool's bar laboratory, a lab designed to imitate a bar, brought together pairs of friends. One of the friends was made aware of the experimental aims and was told to drink alcoholic drinks throughout the session or to stick to soft drinks.

While most people were strongly influenced by peers - they mimicked their friend and drank more heavily when their friend did - the majority of participants were unaware of this influence on their behaviour and were adamant that their friend's choice did not have anything to do with their decision to drink.

Forty-six pairs of people volunteered to attend sessions at the University lab, which is specially designed for experiments of this nature.

As part of the cover story for the fake study, the pairs sat down to complete a game, with the person in the know asked for their drink order first.

Eighty percent of people whose partner was told to choose an alcoholic drink also chose one, compared to only 30 per cent of partners who chose a soft drink. However, only 19 per cent said that their partner's choice may have had an effect on their choice of drink.