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Negative expectancy as a mediating variable in marihuana intoxication
Author(s) -
Pihl R. O.,
Segal Zindel,
Shea Diane
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(197810)34:4<978::aid-jclp2270340432>3.0.co;2-8
Subject(s) - expectancy theory , psychology , shock (circulatory) , placebo , cognition , clinical psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
Sixty experienced marihuana smokers participated in a study designed to assess the effect of a negative expectancy on marihuana intoxication. Two different environments, threat of shock and no‐threat, were used under the drug conditions of marihuana and placebo. S s came into the laboratory and adjusted a level of shock received at their fingertips, to a point of mild discomfort. Only those S s in the threat groups were given the expectation that they would receive the shock at random times during the sessions. Results show that S s in the marihuana threat group got subjectively less intoxicated, found the environment less pleasant, and yet had higher pulse rates than did S s in the marihuana no‐threat group. The results are discussed in terms of a cognitive component, and specifically that of labelling, in the determination of level of intoxication.