Effects of alcohol and instigator intent on human aggression.

Abstract

Aggression was studied in 3 groups each of 24 men (mean age, 23) after drinking an alcoholic beverage containing 1.32 ml of alcohol per kg of body weight, a placebo drink or no beverage. Aggression was assessed by the intensity and duration of shocks administered to a bogus partner in a modification of the Buss aggression procedure. Half the subjects were exposed to aversive stimulation administered with neutral intent, and half were aversively stimulated with malicious intent. Intoxicated subjects were significantly more aggressive than were nonintoxicated subjects (P < 0.01), but were significantly less affected by the intent manipulation. Nonintoxicated subjects'' response varied with the intent of the instigator. The findings were attributed to the disrupting effect of alcohol on information processing and the mediating effect of instigator intent on nonintoxicated aggressive behavior.