Effect of alcohol on emotional responses to stress.

Abstract

Ten male undergraduate students received a high dose of ethanol (1.25 ml/kg of body weight), 10 a low dose (0.75 ml/kg) and 10 a placebo. The heart rates and skin conductance levels were monitored while the men participated in 2 tasks involving various probabilities of receiving an electric shock and in which they could choose between an immediate or a delayed shock. Choice of immediate vs. delayed shock was affected only by the probability of the shock''s occurrence and not by alcohol consumption. During anticipation of shock, men who drank the high dose of alcohol experienced an increase in heart rate, compared with a decrease in men in the other groups, and an increase in skin conductance responsiveness that was higher than that in men in the other 2 groups. Self-reported levels of anxiety were mild in all subjects following measurement of shock threshold, but then decreased in the controls and remained high in the experimental groups. The effects of alcohol on emotions may depend on the drinker''s interpretation of his situation; those who drank alcohol experienced increases in skin conductance level only when the probability of receiving a shock was highest.