Alcohol consumption increases attractiveness ratings of opposite‐sex faces: a possible third route to risky sex

Jones, Barry T.; Jones, Benedict C.; Thomas, Amy; Piper, Janice

doi:10.1046/j.1360-0443.2003.00426.x

Cited by 60 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Other studies (e.g., Jones et al, 2003;Pennebaker, 1979) have reported evidence of such an effect, though BAC was not measured.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Participants' alcohol tolerance may have prevented BACs of .05%-.06% from causing sufficient intoxication, as further suggested by the lack of significant difference between placebo and alcohol conditions in self-reported intoxication level. Jones et al (2003) obtained attractiveness ratings for unfamiliar faces of both genders from 80 undergraduates of both genders across a range (1-6 UK units, where 1 UK unit = 8 gm Beer goggles 4 alcohol) of alcohol consumption in a campus pub. However, alcohol consumption was assessed by self-report only; BAC was not measured.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Lyvers

Cholakians

Puorro

et al. 2011

The Journal of Social Psychology

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“…Other studies (e.g., Jones et al, 2003;Pennebaker, 1979) have reported evidence of such an effect, though BAC was not measured.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Lyvers

Cholakians

Puorro

et al. 2011

The Journal of Social Psychology

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“…Their hypothesis represents an inductive inference from a finding by Agocha & Cooper (1999) that the probability of having risky sex is positively associated with the facial attractiveness of the prospective sexual partner. Interestingly, Jones et al (2003) indeed found correlational evidence that individuals who had earlier ingested alcohol subsequently rated opposite-sex faces as more attractive, whereas there was no such proclivity on their parts to rate the faces as more distinctive or to rate wrist-watches as more attractive.…”

Section: A Pathway To Risky Sex?mentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Most recently, Jones and colleagues (Jones et al 2003) have suggested that alcohol intake may bolster the likelihood of engaging in risky sex by increasing the perceived facial attractiveness of potential mates. Their hypothesis represents an inductive inference from a finding by Agocha & Cooper (1999) that the probability of having risky sex is positively associated with the facial attractiveness of the prospective sexual partner.…”

Section: A Pathway To Risky Sex?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Automatic effects of alcohol cues on sexual attraction

et al. 2005

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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.

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“…Stimuli consisted of 80 full color faces; 20 different faces were presented each session (10 male and 10 female aged 18-25 years; Jones et al, 2003). Participants rated each image on a 7-point Likert scale (eg, 'very unattractive' to 'very attractive').…”

Section: Behavioral Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of MDMA and Intranasal Oxytocin on Social and Emotional Processing

Kirkpatrick

Lee

Wardle

et al. 2014

Neuropsychopharmacol

120

129

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MDMA (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, 'ecstasy') is used recreationally, reportedly because it increases feelings of empathy, sociability, and interpersonal closeness. One line of evidence suggests that MDMA produces these effects by releasing oxytocin, a peptide involved in social bonding. In the current study, we investigated the acute effects of MDMA and oxytocin on social and emotional processing in healthy human volunteers. MDMA users (N ¼ 65) participated in a 4-session, within-between-subjects study in which they received oral MDMA (0.75, 1.5 mg/kg), intranasal oxytocin (20 or 40 IU), or placebo under double-blind conditions. The primary outcomes included measures of emotion recognition and sociability (desire to be with others). Cardiovascular and subjective effects were also assessed. As expected, MDMA dose-dependently increased heart rate and blood pressure and feelings of euphoria (eg, 'High' and 'Like Drug'). On measures of social function, MDMA impaired recognition of angry and fearful facial expressions, and the larger dose (1.5 mg/kg) increased desire to be with others, compared with placebo. Oxytocin produced small but significant increases in feelings of sociability and enhanced recognition of sad facial expressions. Additionally, responses to oxytocin were related to responses to MDMA with subjects on two subjective measures of sociability. Thus, MDMA increased euphoria and feelings of sociability, perhaps by reducing sensitivity to subtle signs of negative emotions in others. The present findings provide only limited support for the idea that oxytocin produces the prosocial effects of MDMA.

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Alcohol consumption increases attractiveness ratings of opposite‐sex faces: a possible third route to risky sex

Abstract: Since Agocha & Cooper have shown that the likelihood of intentions to engage in risky sex increases as the facial attractiveness of the potential sexual partner increases, through the opposite-sex enhancement effect we identify a new possible link between risky sex and alcohol consumption.

Cited by 60 publications

References 30 publications

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

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

Automatic effects of alcohol cues on sexual attraction

Effects of MDMA and Intranasal Oxytocin on Social and Emotional Processing

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