ABSTRACT
The current project explores affective rewards from alcohol in the context of virtual social interactions. The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a radical shift toward the digital world. In light of pandemic- related changes in drinking and also emotional well-being, it becomes imperative to understand the cognitive and affective processes involved in virtual interactions and the impact of alcohol in these novel social spaces. The current study leverages an eye tracking and an alcohol administration paradigm to examine the impact of alcohol on self-focused attention and affect, as well as the interplay between self-focused attention and affective processes, in the context of a virtual social exchange. Heavy social drinkers (N = 246) were randomly assigned to receive either a moderate dose of alcohol (target BAC = 0.08%) or a non-alcoholic beverage. After beverage consumption, participants engaged in a virtual video call in pairs. Participants viewed video feed in split screen, displaying both themselves and their interaction partner, and their gaze behavior was continuously tracked using the EyeLink 1000. Participants' affect was repeatedly assessed throughout their experimental sessions. Results indicated that, on average, participants spent substantially more time looking at their conversation partner vs. themselves during the video call, b = 2.49, p < 0.0001. Of particular note, there was a significant relationship between gaze direction and alcohol, b = -0.46, p = 0.015. Specifically, relative to sober participants, those consuming alcohol spent more time looking at themselves and less at their conversation partners. There was also a significant relationship between gaze direction and negative affect, b = -0.29, p = 0.015, such that those who spent especially large proportions of their time gazing at themselves vs. their conversation partner reported higher levels of negative affect following the virtual exchange. Lastly, the powerful mood-enhancing properties of alcohol that are typically observed in in-person interaction did not emerge in this online context. Results carry potential implications for understanding factors that increase risk for hazardous drinking and negative affectivity in our increasingly virtual world.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The roadmap for how to approach restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic is unclear. Many governments have acted to close bars and restricted alcohol sales, while at the same time those in the nightlife industry have labeled such actions unfounded. Complicating such debates is the lack of direct evidence on the effect of alcohol on social distance. In the current study, we offer the first examination of alcohol's impact on social distance. Methods: Young social drinkers (N = 212) were required to identify at least one eligible same-gender friend. On the day of their laboratory sessions, participants were randomly assigned to complete experimental procedures with either their own friend or the friend of another participant (an individual who was a stranger to them). Dyads were assigned to consume a dose of alcohol (target BAC = 0.08%) or a non-alcoholic beverage. Participants' interactions during the beverage administration period were videotaped. Computer-vision algorithms were employed to pinpoint the relative position of each participant's face at regular 10-sec intervals throughout the drink period and these values were used to approximate social distance. We employed mixed models to examine within-dyad change in social distance between minutes 4-36 of the interaction. Results: Within the stranger condition, a significant interaction emerged between beverage condition and time, b = 0.22, SE = 0.11, p = 0.039. For stranger dyads assigned to consume alcohol, interpersonal distance decreased at an estimated rate of 0.26 cm/minute, b = -0.26, SE = 0.07, p < 0.001, whereas this slope was non-significant for stranger dyads assigned to consume a non-alcoholic beverage, b = -0.05, SE = 0.08, p = 0.559. Participants consuming alcohol in the current study drew significantly closer to an unfamiliar interaction partner as time passed and intoxication-level increased. Conclusions: Results suggest that alcohol might act to overcome a natural caution people feel towards strangers and promote proximity-seeking. The rate of change in distance observed in the current research is likely a conservative estimate of what might be observed in a bar environment, given participants in the current study were seated and separated by a table. Nonetheless, extended over the course of an evening, the rate of change observed here would result in social distance reductions with potentially meaningful implications for disease transmission.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged the world into a new approach to social interaction. Online parties, including “Zoomtail” hours, have now emerged as a primary means of socializing. Yet we know little about individuals' experiences during these virtual exchanges. In the current study, social drinkers (N = 246) were randomly assigned to receive either an alcoholic or a non-alcoholic beverage. After beverage consumption, they engaged in a virtual video call in either familiar or unfamiliar dyads. Participants viewed video feed in split screen, displaying both themselves and their interaction partner, and their gaze behavior was continuously tracked using the EyeLink 1000. Participants spent significantly more time gazing at their interaction partner vs. themselves during the social exchange. In line with alcohol myopia theory, this gaze effect was moderated by alcohol consumption. Our findings inform understanding of individuals' cognitive and affective experiences during virtual social exchange, including interactions involving alcohol consumption.