Some people are friendly drunks, whereas others are hostile, potentially endangering themselves and others. The difference may lie in their ability to foresee the consequences of their actions, according to a recent study in the online Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

Brad Bushman, a psychologist at Ohio State University, and his colleagues asked nearly 500 volunteers to play a simple game. The subjects, an even mix of women and men, believed they were competing against an opponent to press a button as quickly as possible. In reality, they were simply using a computer program that randomly decided if they had won or lost. When they lost, they received a shock. When the “opponent” lost, the participant gave the shock and chose how long and intense it should be.

Before playing, the participants completed a survey designed to measure their general concern for the future consequences of their actions. Half the partici­pants then received enough alcohol mixed with orange juice to make them legally drunk, and the other half received a drink with a very tiny amount of alcohol in it. Subjects who expressed little interest in consequences were more likely to administer longer, more intense shocks. In the sober group, they were slightly more aggressive than people who cared about consequences. When drunk, however, their belligerence was off the charts. “They are by far the most aggressive people in the study,” Bushman says.

The good news is this trait is malleable. Michael McKloskey, a psychologist at Temple University who treats aggression, explains that people who act on impulse often feel that a frustrating or uncomfortable situation is happening “just to make their life miserable.” If they can learn to see the situation more realistically, he explains, “they’re able to stay calmer, and they can keep their anger in check.” When impulsive people master this technique, he says, they develop a sense of control over their consequences.

This article was published in print as "A Mean Drunk."

10 Comments

1. 1. MadScientist72 09:23 AM 4/20/12

   There isn't really anything new in this research. We've known for a long time that alcohol lowers your inhibitions & shuts off your internal filters, so it's hardly surprising that the mellow people became more mellow & the aggressive ones, more aggressive.

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2. 2. wakeele in reply to MadScientist72 08:20 PM 4/20/12

   Interesting because I'm tend to be the opposite in ways. I'm much more impulsive than many people I know, get frustrated quite easily and can have a nasty temper, yet when I drink I'm consistently much more pleasant to be around and downright silly--even quite popularly. Shutting off my internal filter outside of that would be rough news for those in my vicinity. Maybe I'm bipolar or fluke of nature.

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3. 3. kcrist 10:14 AM 4/21/12

   these comments are so far from the truth that i would not hesitate to classify these conclusions m as destructive fringe science. while living and doing independent research alone and reasearching the effects of alcohol on the human animal, i was able to ascertain and subjectively prove to myself that alcohol does indeed make one more positive, stronger more talented and above all more godlike.

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4. 4. MadScientist72 in reply to kcrist 09:15 AM 4/23/12

   Getting blitzed at a kegger (or alone in your apartment) doesn't count as research.

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5. 5. FOOZLER8 04:36 PM 4/25/12

   Bourbon makes me angry and no other form of alcohol does. I think it is in the nature of an allergy.

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6. 6. skeam 03:15 AM 4/26/12

   Even if alcohol makes people who don't care about consequences much more aggressive than others, how come they become SO interrested in primarily the kinds of behaviour that is hurtful and aggressive to others, rather than just any random behaviour...?
   
   This questions seems to be still unexplained.
   
   Might it even be the case that the people who turn to aggression might even rather be seeking the bad outcomes, and in fact DO realize the consequences?
   
   Or do they just have some kind of preferrence for that kind of behaviour due to other factors, not directly explained by their disregard for consequences?
   

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7. 7. bucketofsquid in reply to kcrist 12:39 PM 4/26/12

   Your post is a pretty good example of how the mind functions less under the influence of alcohol. I would gather that you wrote the post while plastered due to the bad grammar and silly statements.

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8. 8. cccampbell38 in reply to kcrist 01:47 PM 4/26/12

   As an addictions counselor with more than 40 years of training and experience in this field may I respectfully suggest that, for your sake and that of your loved ones, you all seek an honest and forthright consultation with a good addictions counselor? I have a strong feeling that all of you may benefit.

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9. 9. diahni in reply to MadScientist72 11:59 AM 1/11/13

   It's not so easy. Nobody would call me mellow, but booze makes me goofy, not mean.

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10. 10. diahni in reply to wakeele 12:00 PM 1/11/13

    being impulsive and belligerent are different
    

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