Alcohol, drugs and human physical aggression.

Research on the relationship between alcohol, drugs and aggression is reviewed. The findings indicate that alcohol is a potent antecedent of aggressive behavior. Studies conducted in our laboratory demonstrate that aggressive behavior is related to the quantity of alcohol ingested, that the effect of social pressure to aggress and of intense provocation is enhanced by alcohol, that the instigating effect of alcohol depends upon the aggressive disposition of the alcohol consumer, that the aggressive behavior of the intoxicated person can be regulated by altering cues that affect cognitive processes and that other depressant increase aggressive responding. A hypothetical model is described that summarizes the experimental findings and provides a vehicle for discussing the major factors and psychological processes involved in alcohol-induced aggression.