Jose has been told that alcohol makes people aggressive and slows their reflexes. At a party, he drinks a great deal of punch that he believes to contain alcohol; in fact, the punch was non-alcoholic. Late in the evening, a stranger tries to pick a fight with Jose. Which of the following outcomes is most likely?
A)Jose ignores the stranger and walks away; since he did not actually drink alcohol, he does not become aggressive.
B)Jose gets in a fight with the stranger because he believes he has drunk alcohol.
C)Jose is asleep; he is sedated because he believes he is drunk.
D)Jose becomes more alert and aware of his heart rate.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jose's belief that he has consumed alcohol can influence his behavior to align with his expectations about the effects of alcohol, leading him to act more aggressively even though the punch was non-alcoholic. This is an example of the placebo effect, where expectations influence behavior.

Jose Has Been Told That Alcohol Makes People Aggressive and Slows