Automatic effects of alcohol cues on sexual attraction

Abstract

Aims The present study tested whether suboptimal priming (which may be defined as 'under viewing conditions rendering conscious identification highly improbable') with alcohol-related stimuli would activate existing expectancies about alcohol's effects on sexual desire. It was predicted that alcohol cues, relative to non-alcohol cues, would activate expectancies of alcohol's aphrodisiac properties. We hypothesized that for men, stronger expectancies in this regard would predict an increased tendency to judge women as sexually attractive following the alcohol primes. Design Two experimental studies manipulated cue (alcohol versus control) and rating dimension (attractiveness versus intelligence). Self-reported alcohol expectancies of sexual desire were assessed approximately 1 month prior to the study. Study 2 assessed additional expectancy content domains. Setting and participants Study 1 comprised 82 undergraduate males and study 2 78 undergraduate males. Studies were conducted at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA. Interventions In both experiments, male participants were suboptimally primed with either alcohol-related or control words. Following this priming, they were presented with a series of photographs of young women and asked to either rate their attractiveness or their intelligence. Findings and conclusionsIn both studies, a three-way interaction between cue, rating dimension and alcohol expectancies was found. Within the attractiveness rating condition a two-way interaction was found, indicating that in this condition, stronger expectancies that alcohol increases sexual desire predicted higher attractiveness ratings after suboptimal exposure to alcohol primes. No effects emerged in the intelligence rating condition. Discussion centers on implications for sexual risk-taking as well as a range of other nonconsumptive behaviors.

Automatic Effects of Alcohol and Aggressive Cues on Aggressive Thoughts and Behaviors

“…For instance, it has been shown that sexual attractiveness increases after exposure to alcohol-related cues (Friedman, McCarty, Förster, & Denzler, 2005). This, too, might happen automatically.…”

Beer Goggles: Blood Alcohol Concentration in Relation to Attractiveness Ratings for Unfamiliar Opposite Sex Faces in Naturalistic Settings

“…Thus alcohol may increase sexual desire via a dopaminergic mechanism, accounting for the first part of Shakespeare's famous observation that alcohol "provokes desire but takes away the performance." On the other hand, mere exposure to alcohol-related cues has also been reported to increase attractiveness ratings, particularly in those who believe that alcohol stimulates sexual desire (Friedman, McCarthy, Forster & Denzler, 2005). As alcohol intoxication is The present study investigated the relationship between BAC and facial attractiveness ratings by heterosexual university student social drinkers of both genders in naturalistic settings (campus pub and campus parties).…”

Alcohol Use Severity and HIV Sexual Risk Among Juvenile Offenders

“…Resulting behavior may be shaped more by these expectancies than the actual physical effects of the ingested alcohol. As reported by Friedman, McCarthy, Forster, and Denzler (2005) in an experimental study of male college students, higher alcohol expectancies of increased sex drive when such individuals are exposed to alcohol-related cues may be enough (even without consumption) to produce "beer goggles" (i.e., judging others more attractive than would normally be the case), and thus potentially affect actual sexual risks. Our ability in this study to make inferences about the role of expectations in the risky behaviors of adolescents is limited; however, this dimension was not a focus of the larger research study and thus not measured.…”