COMPENSATORY RESPONSES TO PLACEBO VARY WITH PRESUMED PERSONALITY RISKFOR ALCOHOLISM AND DRINKING HABITS

Physiological reactions of men who reported intoxication after consumi ng placebo beer were related to a personality index of presumed ''risk '' for alcoholism and drinking habits. Presumed personality ''risk'' v aried with decreases in skin conductance. Those at higher ''risk'' sho wed a larger compensatory response. Drinking habits varied with decrea ses in skin temperature. Those who drank more showed larger changes. T hese results are consistent with work linking risk and compensatory re sponding, and support compensatory response theory. Nevertheless, thes e results were found only for a subset of subjects (24 of 81) who repo rted moderate intoxication after consuming the placebo, limiting gener alizability.