Many people have heard or experienced the effects of alcohol-fueled attraction. Discussed as a safety warning in social settings and a caveat for singles searching for a mate, for some people, alcohol alters perception and attraction to others. Research explains.
Attraction Through Altered States
For many reasons, cocktails should be consumed with caution. Alcohol comes with well-deserved warning labels and guidelines cautioning to consume only in moderation, due to the health consequences and behavioral risks of overindulgence. But alcohol has other side effects as well, which impact everything from judgment to physical ability to discernment—including perception of both self and others.
Molly A. Bowdring and Michael A. Sayette (2023) in a piece entitled “Beer Goggles or Liquid Courage?” studied how alcohol impacts the perception of attractiveness among men.[i] They define perception of physical attractiveness (PPA) as a fundamental feature of relationships that can assist in explaining both the rewarding and the harmful effects of alcohol.
Bowdring and Sayette note that people consuming alcohol tend to report higher PPA than their sober counterparts, a phenomenon they note is colloquially termed “beer goggles.” In their study using participants from ages 21 to 27 years, they administered either a control beverage or a mixture of vodka and cranberry juice and measured reported ratings of PPA. They found that alcohol did not affect traditional ratings of PPA, but significantly enhanced the likelihood the men in their study would choose to interact in the future with more attractive targets.
Attraction vs. Anxiety
Bowdring and Sayette recognize that despite a preference to interact with eye-catching individuals, attractive people can heighten anxiety and increase Self-awareness, conditions that may fuel social disengagement. The tension between desiring to bond with others and fear of rejection may reduce desire. However, Bowdring and Sayette also note that their study suggests that one facet of alcohol-fueled attraction is the possibility of future meeting, engaging, or flirting with a target individual—a point where beer goggles become “liquid courage.” They explain that alcohol may increase flirting, as well as sexual thoughts and behavior—experiences which are linked to PPA. They describe their study findings as consistent with the social attribution model of alcohol, suggesting that alcohol reduces the experience of social threat and fear of rejection, facilitating access to social rewards. But consumers beware: there is an important downside as well.
Cocktails With Caution
As a career sex crime prosecutor, I regularly review alcohol-fueled criminal behavior. Alcohol consumption is tied to everything from driving under the influence to sexual assault by intoxication. Not surprisingly, Bowdring and Sayette describe the alcohol-PPA effect as both rewarding and potentially hazardous. They note that if alcohol fuels the likelihood of interacting with more attractive targets, greater reward may stem from social interactions while intoxicated. They caution that this may explain how and why individuals engage in risky sexual behavior—noting that risky sexual practices are more likely with partners perceived as attractive.
Indulge Responsibly
Bowdring and Sayette note the importance of future research to assess actual approach behaviors toward attractive individuals to further explore how PPA may contribute to both socially rewarding and hazardous effects of alcohol. In the meantime, indulge in moderation, and socialize responsibly.
