Responsiveness of Social Drinkers to Aversive Tone Stimulation

Abstract

Social drinkers [20] 18-29 yr old were administered through headphones, segments of a continuous pure tone of 3000 Hz in discrete trials of different levels of loudness ranging from 60-109 dBA [absolute decibel] sound pressure level. Subjects were instructed to terminate the presentation of the tone when they found it aversive. To assess the aversive threshold of each subject, criterion was set at 5 s response latency following onset of tone. Subjects were then administered 1.2 ml/kg body wt of 95% USP alcohol. Following commencement of drinking, breath samples were analyzed for their blood alcohol concentration. At this point the aversive threshold procedure was repeated. No significant differences between the aversive thresholds before and after intoxication were found. Subjects reported feeling relaxed after drinking but no significant changes in aversive threshold were noted. A discrepancy between the drinker''s expectation to be more relaxed with alcohol and his actual response to stressful stimulation was discussed.