Drunk with Success

As much as I'd like to believe the findings, a study purporting to show that drunk people have sound reasoning skills seems to have a rather obvious flaw. Groups of college students -- some sober, some drunk, and a control group -- were asked if they want $15 now or $30 later. Researchers took deferring gratification for the $30 as a sign of sound reasoning. They are surprised to find that so many drunk folks were able to resist the immediate goody. Let's think about this.

You're in college, you're getting drunk, not only drunk, you're gettin' paid to drink. (That's the way these studies are done, I'm fairly certain the $15/$30 offer was on top of a payment initially promised to the students, although I have no proof.) Some dork in a lab coat says you can have another $15 now or $30 later. Why in the world would you need the $15 instantly? You're already getting drunk.

Contrast that with the poor sober bastards, stuck in some icky psych hall, answering stupid questions. You get a choice between $15 now and $30 later you're gonna jump on the $15. Why? So you can take the money and go get drunk.

Comments

[Lonewacko]

Part of it would also seem to be the trustworthiness of the offerer. Were they willing to put the $30 offer in writing, defining exactly when, where, and how the money was to be paid and after having proved their identity and affiliation? If not, that would be one reason to take the $15 immediately. Bird in the hand, etc.

[Anonymous]

wow you are so insightful.

[Will]

Sunday night I got stink-o with some friends at a local bar -- I then proceeded to tell my best buddy, in a moment of serene clarity, that I didn't like his girlfriend (whom he adores) and was anxious for her to leave for grad school. Whoops! I assume he'll forgive me eventually... but it was still a foot-in-mouth evening. In regards to this study -- can the case be made that the researchers themselves were drunk?

[Anonymous]

What were they drinking?

I think that might play a factor in any decision. Martini's prepared with rotgut gin? They can't be trusted! Take the money now.

[Brad S]

Actually, depending on what "later" is defined as, and depending on market interest rates, $15 today may be better than $30 later. If later is ten years from now, and I can make higher than 7.2% interest on my $15, then the $15 has a greater present value than the $30. Maybe those drunks were onto something.

[Charlie]

When is "later?" With my buddies, if someone said "hey, I can pay you $15 now, or $30 of it later," I'd take the dough straightaway. "Later" may never happen.

What a great gag for those drunk subjects. I was a guinea pig in college, but most of my tests involved answering questions with "strongly agree, somewhat agree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree." Those questions would have been infinitely more interesting with some beers.

[Russ]

It didn't even say what level was considered "drunk". Maybe a certain BAC is actually a good thing and then there is a "tipping point" where it's not a good thing. A scale of 2 levels, drunk and sober, is kind of useless.

[joe]

I've got one thing to say about drunk reasoning: fat girl with a mustache from Rhode Island.

[Weintraub Ariel]

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DATE: 01/21/2004 03:34:32
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.