Alcohol effects on human risk taking

Abstract

Acute alcohol administration can produce measurable changes in human risk-taking under laboratory conditions. Shifts in trial-by-trial response probabilities suggest insensitivity to past rewards and more recent losses when intoxicated, an outcome consistent with previous studies. This shift in sensitivity to consequences is a possible mechanism in alcohol-induced changes in risk taking.

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

“…Moreover, few studies have examined the dosedependent effects of alcohol on risky behaviour, suggesting a linear relationship (Lane et al, 2003); risk-taking behaviour rises in line with increasing alcohol dose. Namely, gambles appear riskier with a BAC of .08% compared to .02, .04, and .05% (Bidwell et al, 2013;Lane et al, 2004), and participants are found to drive riskier at .08% BAC, than .05%. However, the findings in this area are inconsistent and other studies have found no difference in alcohol's effects between varying BAC (Berthelon & Gineyt, 2014;M.…”

“…In line with previous research conducted on individuals in isolation (c.f., George et al, 2005;Lane et al, 2004) findings illustrate an increase in risky decisions following alcohol consumption, compared to a soft drink. However, when comparing decisions made by groups with those by isolated individuals in a later study , an alcohol-induced increase in risk-taking behaviour was only found in those who were tested in groups relative to intoxicated individuals making the decision in isolation.…”

“…To test this assertion, experimental researchers typically administer acute doses of alcohol to healthy, non-dependent participants and subsequently examine their risk-taking behaviour compared to those in non-alcohol consumption conditions. Overall, research in this area appears to suggest that, relative to controls, alcohol consumption is associated with increased risk-taking behaviour (Bidwell et al, 2013;Lane, Cherek, Pietras, & Tcheremissine, 2004;Rose, Jones, Clarke, & Christiansen, 2014). Moreover, few studies have examined the dosedependent effects of alcohol on risky behaviour, suggesting a linear relationship (Lane et al, 2003); risk-taking behaviour rises in line with increasing alcohol dose.…”

“…Indeed, there are a variety of behaviours which have the possibility of resulting in negative consequences that appear to become more prevalent following alcohol consumption (Lane et al, 2004). These include risky choices when driving (Burian, Hensberry, & Liguori, 2003;Fillmore, Blackburn, & Harrison, 2008;Laude & Fillmore, 2016), gambling (Bidwell et al, 2013;Lyvers, Mathieson, & Edwards, 2015), and in sexual situations such as unprotected sex (Claxton, DeLuca, & van Dulmen, 2015;Lyvers, Cholakians, Puorro, & Sundram, 2011;Scott-Sheldon et al, 2016).…”

“…In these environments, alcohol is consumed in social contexts, where the influence of peers may play a contributing role to the observed increase in potentially harmful behaviours. With this in mind, variations between field and laboratory experimental findings (Lane et al, 2004;Lyvers et al, 2015;Proestakis et al, 2013;Richards, Zhang, Mitchell, & de Wit, 1999), may in part be due to contributing influences from drinking contexts (e.g., peers in the social environment).…”