Self-control of the effects of alcohol intoxication.

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Abstract
To test the ability to exercise self-control over a wide range of behavior normally altered by alcohol intoxication, 26 men, half of whom were asked to try to keep sober (motivated condition), took a series of tests of reaction time, eye-hand coordination and short-term memory, and rated their own moods before and after drinking 1.32 ml of 95% alcohol per kg of body weight over 15 min. The men (aged 19-30) were all volunteers; none abstained or drank more than 21 drinks per week. To assess emotional reactivity before and after drinking, the men were told to work together in groups of 3 to compose captions for 15 cartoons. Their behavior during the task was rated on an amusement index. After drinking, subjects in the motivated condition appeared to compensate for the effect of alcohol on their expression of amusement and recalled fewer words incorrectly in the memory test than they had before drinking. Nonmotivated subjects became less depressed after drinking, while motivated subjects became more depressed and anxious. Greater ability to control reactions showing amusement was related to better eye-hand coordination and lower decreases in self-reported anxiety, depression and hostility.

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