A social-attributional analysis of alcohol response.

Abstract

Conventional wisdom and survey data indicate that alcohol is a social lubricant and is consumed for its social effects. In contrast, the experimental literature examining alcohol’s effects within a social context reveals that alcohol does not consistently enhance social-emotional experience. We identify a methodological factor that might explain inconsistent alcohol-administration findings, distinguishing between studies featuring unscripted interactions among naïve participants (k = 18) and those featuring scripted social interactions with individuals identified as study confederates (k = 18). While 89% of naïve-participant studies find positive effects of alcohol on mood (d = 0.5), only 11% of confederate studies find evidence of significant alcohol-related mood enhancement (d = −0.01). The naïve-participant versus confederate distinction remains robust after controlling for various moderators including stress manipulations, gender, group size, anxiety outcome measure, and within-group consistency of beverage assignment. Based on the findings of our review, we propose a multidimensional, social-attributional framework for understanding alcohol-related reward. Borrowing organizing principles from attribution theory, the social-attributional approach predicts that alcohol will enhance mood when negative outcomes are perceived to be unstable and/or self-relevant. Our framework proposes that alcohol’s effects within a social context are largely explained by its tendency to free individuals from preoccupation with social rejection, allowing them to access social rewards. The social-attributional approach represents a novel framework for integrating distinct, well-validated concepts derived from several theories of alcohol’s effects. It further presents promising lines of inquiry for future research examining the role of social factors in alcohol reward and addiction susceptibility.

The influence of groups and alcohol consumption on individual risk-taking

“…Furthermore, as discussed previously, social settings in themselves may influence both alcohol consumption behaviours (Fairbairn & Sayette, 2014;Kuendig & Kuntsche, 2012) and risk-taking (Blakemore & Robbins, 2012;E. K. Reynolds et al, 2013), which could, to a greater or lesser extent, be driving, or contributing to, the association between alcohol and risktaking in real world scenarios.…”

“…Advertisements have also historically portrayed consumption of their alcoholic products in social contexts (see Figure 1.1). What's more, alcohol consumption has been the purpose for popular social events from the Ancient Greek 'symposia' (a drinking party; (Fairbairn & Sayette, 2014;McGovern, 2011) to modern day drinking festivals such as the German Oktoberfest and UK Gin Journeys. Importantly, the contexts in which alcohol is consumed and the cultural beliefs and expectations of drunkenness may, in turn, influence drinking behaviour and people's representation of intoxication.…”

“…Together, the social nature of drinking (Gordon et al, 2012), and the potential influences of these social settings and cultural beliefs (Fairbairn & Sayette, 2014;MacAndrew & Edgerton, 1969) highlight the importance in considering alcohol behaviours as not solely resulting from pharmacological and intrapersonal factors, but also from social surroundings. To this end and to further understand the impact of alcohol on risk-taking behaviour, it would be prudent to acknowledge the social impact on both alcohol consumption, and risk-taking behaviour.…”

“…This is because alcohol consumption is a well-known regulator of emotions (Fairbairn & Sayette, 2014;Lowe et al, 2013;Sayette, 2017;Sayette, Creswell, et al, 2012) and mood can be altered via social influences (Neumann & Strack, 2000;Parkinson & Simons, 2009;Sy, Côté, & Saavedra, 2005). Moreover, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that risk-taking is shaped by the mood people are in (Kim & Kanfer, 2009;Yuen & Lee, 2003).…”

Ethanol Increases Mechanical Pain Sensitivity in Rats via Activation of GABAA Receptors in Medial Prefrontal Cortex

“…Ethanol, recreationally consumed in social settings, is widely known for its ability to increase emotional (affective) empathy, facilitating social attachment and alleviating anxiety at moderate doses [64][65][66][67][68][69][70]. However, so far, the exact brain regions involved in ethanol-induced empathy are not known.…”