Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Flypub To Study Ethanol Induced Behavioral Disinhibition and Sensitization
Published on: May 18, 2020
Alcohol's effects on sexual decision making: an integration of alcohol myopia and individual differences
Kelly Cue Davis1, Christian S Hendershot, William H George
1Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA. kcue@u.washington.edu
Objective:
We conducted an experiment to test the applicability of integrating individual perceptions of unprotected sex consequences with alcohol's myopic effects as an explanatory framework for risky sexual decision making in young heterosexual men and women.
Method:
Male and female participants (N = 61) rated their perceptions of unprotected sex consequences, received alcoholic (target breath alcohol concentration = .10%) or nonalcoholic drinks, and completed a risky sexual decision-making task that included a quantitative measure of sexual decision-making cue attention.
Results:
Intoxicated participants were more attentive to impelling cues and reported greater sexual risk intentions than sober participants. Mediational analyses indicated that attention to cues fully mediated the alcohol-sexual risk intention relationship. Moderational analyses revealed that alcohol's focusing effect acts in conjunction with pre-existing individual perceptions to influence cue salience directly and sexual risk intentions indirectly.
Conclusions:
Findings demonstrate the importance of examining predispositional tendencies when investigating alcohol myopia as a mediating mechanism underlying the alcohol-risky sex relationship.
Related Concept Videos
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
Hypothesis Test for Test of Independence
H0: The two variables (factors)...
Depressants
Alcohol is a common depressant that can induce a sense of relaxation and reduced inhibition at low doses. Contrary to its occasional...
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Decision Making
Automatic decision-making is fast, intuitive, and relies on gut feelings...

