Nearly Five Times Higher than We Think: How Much People Underestimate the Amount of Alcohol in Popular Movies and What Predicts Underestimation?

Reducing alcohol use is challenging due to the volume of alcohol shown in media and the relationship between exposure and use. It is unclear to what degree people are aware of and able to estimate alcohol exposure in the media, such as in movies. In this study, 609 Australian adults estimated the amount of alcohol exposure in up to 10 of 102 popular movies they remembered best. They reported when they last saw each movie, their alcohol use, age, and gender. Participants underestimated the amount of alcohol in movies by an average of 35.39 times. Movies classified as featuring adult content (PG-13 or R) and movies with the greatest amount of alcohol were particularly underestimated. Individual’s age, gender, alcohol use, or when the movie was last viewed had no effect on underestimation. In conclusion, due to the severe underestimation, alcohol exposure should be more seriously reviewed by governmental and medial organizations.