Your Alcohol Intake May be Influenced by the Shape of Your Glass

All set for a night out with friends? If you’re ordering liquor, better observe the kind of glass it’s going to be served in, as ScienceDaily.com reports that its shape affects how quickly you drink alcohol.  

Researchers from the University of Bristol’s School of Experimental Psychology conducted a two-part experiment involving 160 social drinkers from ages 18 to 40. During the first session, the participants were asked to choose between drinking lager and a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage from either a straight or a curved glass.

The results revealed that whether or not the participants chose lager, those who drank from a curved glass consumed their drink twice as fast as those who had straight glasses.

The second session had the participants do a computer exercise where they were shown different glasses and were asked to decide whether or not they were half-filled. The research team found that there was greater error in judgment with regard to curved glasses as compared to straight glasses.

The experiment proves that where you drink your alcohol from also counts. A curved glass tends to deceive the mind with the amount of liquid it can actually hold, so you tend to drink more at a quicker pace. On the other hand, a straight glass allows you to see exactly how much is in it sans the optical tricks, giving you the chance to enjoy your drink slowly. 

So the next time you go out to party, don’t just worry about what you’re getting; check out what kind of glass your bartender will be using as well. This way, you’ll be conscious about how much you’re drinking, and you can avoid the embarrassment of passing out due to intoxication.

(Photo by Pavlo Araujo via sxc.hu)