Alcohol and Aggression: A Validation Study of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm

Abstract

An experimental study was performed testing the validity of the Taylor aggression paradigm when used to study the effects of alcohol on aggression. The main hypothesis stated that the Taylor paradigm does not adequately control for differences in pain/discomfort thresholds when subjects are repeatedly shocked. 36 male subjects were randomly assigned to an alcohol or a placebo condition. They were first required to adjust an electric shock to a subjective criterion (“definitely unpleasant”). This shock setting was then used to calibrate a shock-intensity scale. Subjects were given 12 shocks of varying intensities from this scale. No shock was above the subjective criterion. After the 12 shocks subjects again adjusted an electric shock to the same subjective criterion. Each shock and subjective criterion were rated by subjects for experienced pain and experienced total discomfort. Validity of the Taylor paradigm requires that pain/discomfort thresholds remain stable throughout a period of experimental observation. The results indicate that intoxicated subjects chose a higher initial subjective criterion and experienced the subsequent shocks more intensely. Intoxicated subjects in the Taylor paradigm are more provoked than sober subjects and reported increases in aggression scores for intoxicated subjects can not conclusively be attributed to alcohol alone.