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."

Comments

So a fake pub with drinks and a place to sit

[Centurix]

Basically, a pub.

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

[wvmarle]

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

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.

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

[jxander]

"The difference between screwing around and science is writing it down" -Adam Savage

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

[Jmc23]

sigh, you article readers take all the fun out of the stupid comments!

The Placebo Pub

[rts008]

It is a very good thing they are not charging for the drinks, I can't imagine the horror show resulting when the pub patrons find out they are buying watered down drinks.

Even after I RTFA, I still am not sure how they are concealing the info that there is little to no alcohol in the free drinks. I know if I was presented a free pub, I would wonder what the catch was, thus altering my behavior and skewing the data.

Maybe just my own suspicious and skeptical nature is the cause for my questioning this.
Or I missed that part of TFA. :-)