Type of Task Practice and Time-Sharing Activities Predict Performance Deficits Due to Alcohol Ingestion

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Abstract
Generally speaking, performance declines when humans ingest alcohol; however, there is little precision in predicting alcohol effects. The confusion regarding when and in what situations performance will decline because of alcohol intoxication appears to be due to inappropriate classification of information processes involved in task performance. The present research utilized principles of automatic/controlled processing theory to examine alcohol effects. Performance on tasks performed via automatic processing showed little decrement due to alcohol but large decrements occurred on controlled processing tasks. Results indicate that the type of practice and therefore the type of information processing predicts performance decrements due to alcohol. Alcohol produces a general reduction in resources and ability to share resources both within and between tasks. The results allow a delineation of alcohol effects and provide a theoretical framework for prediction of alcohol effects.