I think this is a difficult case because the central purpose of a fictional story is to permit us to make believe that it is real. When I ask you, "What could you have done differently in that situation?" it's fictional and you're pretending that your decisions are meaningful.
Is that subconscious? I don't think that is. But I'm not sure that that is an alief, either? I'm not solid enough on that definition.
ETA: Apparently we disagree that the imagination is a domain of the subconscious. Eh.
I think this is a difficult thing because one of the two words being used is completely made-up and the distinction between their definitions is extremely fuzzy.
I realize that all words are made up at some point, but there are still a lot we end up calling synonyms. In the bedpan example given, I believe it's a bedpan but I have to trust that it's been sterilized. In this case, it's not alief that keeps me from drinking but rather distrust. The sad movie example is a classic example of "Suspension of Disbelief" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_disbelief).
As an aside, did anyone else notice that their spell checker marked the word alief? I guess my vote is that it shouldn't be a separate word.
Is that subconscious? I don't think that is. But I'm not sure that that is an alief, either? I'm not solid enough on that definition.
ETA: Apparently we disagree that the imagination is a domain of the subconscious. Eh.