Effects of alcohol on group formation among male social drinkers *.: An article from: Journal of Studies on Alcohol

This digital document is an article from Journal of Studies on Alcohol, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2006. The length of the article is 8100 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: Objective: Social factors affect alcohol use and misuse, yet researchers rarely study the acute effects of alcohol in groups. This study used systematic observation techniques to measure the effects of alcohol on behavioral responses during an initial group interaction. Method: Fifty-four male social drinkers were assembled into three-person groups of strangers, and all members of each group were administered either a 0.82 g/kg dose of alcohol or a placebo to be consumed during a 30-minute period. This social interaction was video recorded, and the duration and sequence of selected smiling and speech behaviors were coded on a 1-second time base. Results: Alcohol consumption increased individual- and group-level coordination of smiling and speech behaviors over time and improved self-reported bonding. Conclusions: These data suggest that alcohol may facilitate social bonding during initial group formation. Measuring behavioral responses in a social context provides new directions for studying the acute effects of alcohol.

Citation Details
Title: Effects of alcohol on group formation among male social drinkers *.
Author: Thomas R. Kirchner
Publication:Journal of Studies on Alcohol (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 67 Issue: 5 Page: 785(9)

Distributed by Thomson Gale