In a study examining intoxication and decision making, Catherine Ortner found alcohol does not inevitably lead to impulsive choices but may, in fact, lead some people to be more cautious under certain conditions. "This finding is promising because it suggests there may be a way that we can go in to minimize the negative impacts of alcohol by helping people make better decisions," says Ortner, a PhD candidate in U of T's Department of Psychology and lead author of a study in the March-April issue of the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism.
Ortner, who conducted the research while a master's student at Queen's University, and her colleagues divided male undergraduates into three groups: sober, intoxicated and a control group (which received drinks flavoured with alcohol but not enough to intoxicate). The participants completed a task that offered a chance at receiving a financial reward at the end of the session or a larger sum later. The study tested the theory that intoxication leads directly to cognitive impulsivity - defined as favouring immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards, Ortner says.
Surprisingly, the students who had no alcohol made more impulsive choices than their intoxicated counterparts. However, says Ortner, further study is needed to more clearly determine how alcohol affects decision-making processes.
"It is difficult to extrapolate these findings to real-life situations where decisions are more complex with multiple influences and possible outcomes," she says. "However, I believe findings from studies like this have important implications for how we deal with intoxicated individuals."
CONTACT: Catherine Ortner, Department of Psychology, 416-966-2284 or 416-978-5464, catherine@psych.utoronto.ca or Jessica Whiteside, U of T public affairs, 416-978-5948, jessica.whiteside@utoronto.ca
Alcohol and Alcoholism