Social users of alcohol and cannabis who detect substance-related changes in a change blindness paradigm report higher levels of use than those detecting substance-neutral changes

摘要

Rationale: Understanding the cognitions underpinningnsubstance use has stalled using the Stroopnparadigm. Objective: To employ a novel version of thenflicker paradigm for induced change blindness to independentlyncompare information processing biases innsocial users of alcohol and cannabis. Method: Alcoholnand cannabis experiments were independently run. Innboth, participants were asked to view successively andnrepeatedly on a monitor two versions of a visual scene (annoriginal and a slightly changed version) until the changenwas detected. In fact, in both experiments two simultaneousnchanges competed for detection: a substanceneutralnand a substance-related change. Results: In bothnthe alcohol and the cannabis experiments, participantsndetecting the substance-related change reported highernlevels of use than those detecting the substance-neutralnchange. Conclusion: A substance-related processing biasnwas independently revealed for both substances. Thenutility of the flicker paradigm for substance use researchnis demonstrated as sensitive and quick to administern(taking only 1 min).