Perhaps this is part of the reason drinking is so prevelant on college campuses. Resisting group pressure is not as easy or simple as it sounds. In addition to others contributing to higher consumption of alcohol, the subjective effects of alcohol are also influenced by the presence of others. In a controlled laboratory setting, participants were put in a group setting and engaged in drinking. Some participants were given a placebo drink containing no alcohol, but yet still reported physical sensations corresponding to alcohol consumption.
Bars demonstrate a number of group dynamics.
It is a place of social gathering and a place to drink. Drinking is a social activity that cannot be understood without looking at the social context in which it occurs. It is found that the amount an individual drinks has more to do with the group they are with than their personal limits. Other people can also influence an individual's subjective feeling of alcohol. These factors make bars an interesting social setting with unique norms for behavior.