Environmental and Contextual Features that are Relevant to Adult Drinking Behaviour: Findings and Implications of a Non-Participant Observational Study in UK Licensed Premises (presented at the Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland)

Behaviour change theories aimed at preventing alcohol misuse view intentions as the best predictor of behaviour, based upon the view that cognition guides behaviour. However, while these theories predict intentions well, they are often poor predictors of actual behaviour. A more embodied, embedded approach to cognition has since been proposed. Instead of explaining behaviour in terms of brain functioning, this approach places the level of explanation at the interplay of brain, body and world. Therefore, meaning exists at the relation of an organism to its environment, as suggested by James Gibson’s affordance construct. Affordances represent possibilities for action which humans are able to utilise, for instance, certain objects are graspable and certain individuals can be spoken-to. Based upon these ideas, a non-participant observational study was conducted in the environments where risky drinking behaviours are carried out. By focusing on the functional features (or “affordances”) of licensed premises, this research highlighted environmental features that appeared to be relevant to adult drinking behavior. This included the shape and availability of the containers drinks were served in, alcohol advertising, noise levels and staff sales techniques. This study also explored the features of vertical drinking establishments, which have limited seating or tables for patrons to rest drinks upon. In such establishments, drinking is an end in itself and there is little opportunity to engage in other activities, such as having a meal. This has informed the subsequent stage of research, which is exploring the subjective meaning that patrons place on their drinking environments.