Reinforcing Effects of Alcohol During Group Formation

酒精在群体形成过程中的强化作用

• 批准号: 6961336
• 负责人: MICHAEL Andrew SAYETTE
• 金额: $ 22.58万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-09-30 至 2010-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6961336
• 关键词: alcoholic beverage consumption; alcoholic beverages; alcoholism /alcohol abuse; anxiety; behavior test; behavioral /social science research tag; belief; clinical research; communication behavior; emotions; ethanol; face expression; gender difference; human subject; mathematical model; personality; personality tests; psychopharmacology; reinforcer; small social group; social group process; social psychology; substance abuse related behavior; video recording system; young adult human (21-34)

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Social factors play a major role in alcohol use and dependence, but researchers rarely study the effects of alcohol in group settings. This project will systematically measure the effects of alcohol on positive and negative affect and social bonding during initial group formation, and determine if persons with personality traits posing a risk for alcoholism are more sensitive to these effects. Presumably, if such persons find effects of alcohol to be more rewarding, they will become more likely to rely on alcohol to regulate affect. Many of these traits are inherently social (e.g., extroversion), and this will be the first study to test their impact on the effects of alcohol in a social setting. Seven-hundred-twenty social drinkers will be assembled into 240 three-person groups of strangers (all female groups, groups with one male and two females, groups with two males and one female, and all male groups). All members of each group will drink over 30-min a moderate dose of alcohol (males: 0.82 g/kg; females: 0.74 g/kg), a placebo, or a nonalcoholic control drink. This group drinking period will be recorded using a digital control system that synchronizes multiple streams of video as interactions unfold over time. This system enables precise analysis of the duration and sequence of selected facial expressions and speech behaviors. The project will be informed by (a) social psychological theory and research on small groups, (b) advances in the systematic measurement of observed behavior, and (c) multi-level statistical modeling techniques that account for the nonindependence of group members. We will assess a variety of individual-level responses, including facial expressions related to positive and negative affect using Ekman et al's (2002) Facial Action Coding System. We also will assess a range of group-level responses, including coordination of smiling and speech behaviors. We predict that the belief that one has consumed alcohol will enhance positive affect, reduce negative affect (e.g., social anxiety), and facilitate social bonding during initial group formation (i.e., a placebo effect). Further, we predict that actual alcohol consumption will enhance social bonding processes beyond what is found with a placebo beverage. This study will be the first with sufficient power to comprehensively examine the moderating roles of gender and personality traits on the reinforcing effects of alcohol in groups. Regardless of the outcome, the study will provide critical data regarding observable effects of alcohol on social drinkers that will help illuminate the social and emotional determinants of drinking patterns and problems for men and women.

描述（由申请人提供）：社会因素在酒精使用和依赖中起主要作用，但研究人员很少研究酒精在群体环境中的影响。该项目将系统地测量酒精在最初群体形成过程中对积极和消极影响以及社会联系的影响，并确定具有酗酒风险的人格特征的人是否对这些影响更敏感。据推测，如果这些人发现酒精的作用更有益，他们将更有可能依赖酒精来调节情绪。这些特征中有许多是天生的社会性的（例如，外向性），这将是第一个测试它们对酒精在社交环境中的影响的研究。720名社交饮酒者将被分为240个三人组（全部为女性组，一男两女组，两男一女组，以及全部为男性组）。每组的所有成员将在30分钟内饮用中等剂量的酒精（男性：0.82 g/kg；女性：0.74 g/kg）、安慰剂或不含酒精的对照饮料。这个集体饮酒的过程将被一个数字控制系统记录下来，随着时间的推移，这个系统会同步多个视频流。该系统能够精确分析选定的面部表情和语言行为的持续时间和顺序。