Abstract
AimsTo investigate the relationship between objectively-assessed alcohol consumption and perception of attractiveness in naturalistic drinking environments, and to determine the feasibility and acceptability of conducting a large-scale study in these environments.MethodsObservational study conducted simultaneously across three public houses in Bristol, UK. Participants were required to rate the attractiveness of male and female face stimuli and landscape stimuli administered via an Android tablet computer application, after which their expired breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) was measured.ResultsLinear regression revealed no clear evidence for relationships between alcohol consumption and either overall perception of attractiveness for stimuli, for faces specifically, or for opposite-sex faces. The naturalistic research methodology was feasible, with high levels of participant engagement and enjoyment.ConclusionsWe found no evidence for a relationship between alcohol consumption and perception of attractiveness in our large-scale naturalistic study. Our study is important given the large sample size, the successful translation of an experimental, laboratory-based paradigm to a naturalistic drinking environment and the high level of public engagement with the study. Future studies should use similarly ecologically-valid methodologies to further explore the conditions under which this effect may be observed and identify the mechanisms underlying any relationships.
Highlights
Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to unsafe sexual behaviours (Rehm et al, 2012)
Other participants noted that it was interesting to participate in a study in a naturalistic environment (e.g. ‘that research was being conducted “in the field”, making it seem relevant’). In this large-scale naturalistic study, we find no clear evidence for relationships between alcohol consumption and perception of attractiveness for stimuli overall, for faces or for opposite-sex faces
There was evidence that higher alcohol consumption was associated with finding faces of the same-sex less attractive, which has not previously been observed, but until independently replicated this observation should be treated with caution
Summary
Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to unsafe sexual behaviours (Rehm et al, 2012). Laboratory experiments have found some evidence for this effect: participants in alcohol conditions as compared with placebo conditions rated facial stimuli of opposite-sex individuals more attractive in some (Parker et al, 2008; Attwood et al, 2012) but not all laboratory experiments (Neave et al, 2008). These experiments observed increased attractiveness ratings for same-sex faces among heterosexual participants (Parker et al, 2008) and for landscape stimuli (Attwood et al, 2012). Laboratory experiments, conducted under controlled conditions and where a relatively low dose of alcohol is administered, have limited ecological validity and are far removed from settings where unsafe behaviours associated with alcohol consumption typically occur
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