THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY, COGNITION, AND BEHAVIOR ON PERCEPTIONS AND METAPERCEPTIONS FOLLOWING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SELECTION IN A DATINGSITUATION

This study was designed to investigate perceptions and metaperceptions of individuals in a mixed sex dating situation in which they were off ered alcohol. Male and female participants who were unfamiliar with on e another were brought together in individual sessions and asked to im agine that they were on a blind date. At the outset of the 15-minute i nteraction, they each had an opportunity to select an alcoholic or non alcoholic drink: after receiving their drink, they interacted privatel y. At the conclusion of the interaction, participants completed questi onnaires that solicited their view of their partner and their percepti on of their partner's view of them. Results indicate that alcohol expe ctancies predicted alcoholic beverage selection. When women selected a lcohol,;hey found their partner more likeable; those men whose partner was drinking believed that their partner found them more likeable. Ad ditionally, when both partners were drinking they perceived each other as more extroverted, although they did not think their partner percei ved them as err reverted. These results are discussed in terms of impl ications for further research on the role of alcohol as a cue in a mix ed-sex social/dating environment. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.