Xiong Chen1, Xiaoyu Wang2, Dong Yang2, Youguo Chen3. 1. Center of Studies for Psychology and Social Development, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China Center for Metal Health Research, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China. 2. Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China Center for Metal Health Research, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China. 3. Center of Studies for Psychology and Social Development, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China cyg1001@swu.edu.cn.
Abstract
AIMS: To explore the enhancing effect of alcohol consumption on attractiveness ratings, in that few studies on the Beer Goggles effect control the stimuli attractiveness level and researchers have seldom considered extending the effect to stimuli other than faces. METHODS:Male and female participants (n = 103) were randomly assigned to alcohol consumption or placebo groups. Both groups were asked to assess the attractiveness of two types of pictures (faces and landscapes) with three levels of attractiveness for each stimulus category (high, moderate and low). RESULTS: We found significant interactions between beverage type and attractiveness level. Attractiveness ratings for moderate- and low-attractiveness faces were significantly higher in the alcohol compared with placebo condition, while there was no significant difference for high-attractiveness stimuli between these two conditions. As for landscapes, only low-attractiveness stimuli were rated significantly higher in the alcohol condition. CONCLUSION: Whether or not alcohol consumption leads to an increase in attractiveness ratings depends on the initial attractiveness of the stimulus materials. Alcohol consumption tends to affect ratings for stimuli with relatively low attractiveness. Furthermore, this effect is not limited to faces; it extends to other types of stimuli like landscapes.
RCT Entities:
AIMS: To explore the enhancing effect of alcohol consumption on attractiveness ratings, in that few studies on the Beer Goggles effect control the stimuli attractiveness level and researchers have seldom considered extending the effect to stimuli other than faces. METHODS: Male and female participants (n = 103) were randomly assigned to alcohol consumption or placebo groups. Both groups were asked to assess the attractiveness of two types of pictures (faces and landscapes) with three levels of attractiveness for each stimulus category (high, moderate and low). RESULTS: We found significant interactions between beverage type and attractiveness level. Attractiveness ratings for moderate- and low-attractiveness faces were significantly higher in the alcohol compared with placebo condition, while there was no significant difference for high-attractiveness stimuli between these two conditions. As for landscapes, only low-attractiveness stimuli were rated significantly higher in the alcohol condition. CONCLUSION: Whether or not alcohol consumption leads to an increase in attractiveness ratings depends on the initial attractiveness of the stimulus materials. Alcohol consumption tends to affect ratings for stimuli with relatively low attractiveness. Furthermore, this effect is not limited to faces; it extends to other types of stimuli like landscapes.
Authors: Jana Van Den Abbeele; Ian S Penton-Voak; Angela S Attwood; Ian D Stephen; Marcus R Munafò Journal: Alcohol Alcohol Date: 2015-02-25 Impact factor: 2.826