Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
08:13
Flypub To Study Ethanol Induced Behavioral Disinhibition and Sensitization
Published on: May 18, 2020
Perceiving the effects of ethanol intoxication on voice
Harry Hollien1, James D Harnsberger, Camilo A Martin
1Institute for the Advanced Study of the Communication Processes. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7420, USA. hollien@grove.ufl.edu
Summary
Listeners can detect alcohol intoxication from speech but struggle to determine its severity. Speech difficulty influences perceived intoxication levels, highlighting a gap in accurately assessing alcohol
Area of Science:
- Forensic Linguistics
- Speech Science
- Auditory Perception
Background:
- Voice quality degradation can indicate various conditions, including alcohol intoxication.
- Previous research suggests listeners can identify intoxication but not its severity accurately.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate human listeners' ability to discern the presence and severity of alcohol intoxication from speech.
- To investigate factors influencing intoxication perception from vocal cues.
Main Methods:
- Aural-perceptual studies involving sober and intoxicated speakers at controlled intoxication levels.
- Speakers provided both read and extemporaneous speech samples.
- Listener groups (students, professionals) assessed intoxication presence and severity.
Main Results:
- Listeners accurately identified the presence of intoxication and increases in its severity.
- Listeners were less accurate in determining the specific severity level of intoxication.
- Text difficulty correlated with the perceived severity of intoxication effects.
Conclusions:
- Human listeners are adept at detecting alcohol intoxication from speech but less precise in quantifying its severity.
- Speech characteristics, such as text difficulty, impact the perception of intoxication.
- Further research may refine methods for objective intoxication level assessment from speech.
Related Concept Videos
01:27CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
01:25Microbes in Beverage Production
Alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, and spirits are the products of microbial fermentation processes that transform simple sugars into ethanol and a wide array of complex flavor compounds. These transformations rely on the metabolic activities of specific yeasts and bacteria, which are selected and controlled to yield the desired beverage characteristics.Wine Fermentation and MaturationWine production begins with the crushing of grapes to release juice and pulp, forming a must that is...
01:10¹H NMR of Labile Protons: Temporal Resolution
Protons bonded to heteroatoms such as nitrogen and oxygen exhibit a range of chemical shift values. This is due to the varying degree of hydrogen bonding between the proton and the heteroatom in other molecules. The extent of hydrogen bonding affects the electron density around the proton, thereby giving different chemical shift values for the protons in the proton NMR spectrum.
The –OH proton in alcohols typically appears in the range of δ 2 to 5 ppm but can vary depending on the specific...
The –OH proton in alcohols typically appears in the range of δ 2 to 5 ppm but can vary depending on the specific...
02:29Ethers from Alcohols: Alcohol Dehydration and Williamson Ether Synthesis
Overview
Ethers can be prepared from organic compounds by various methods. Some of them are discussed below,
Preparation of Ethers by Alcohol Dehydration
In this method, in the presence of protic acids, alcohol dehydrates to produce alkenes and ethers under different conditions. For example, in the presence of sulphuric acid, dehydration of ethanol at 413 K yields ethoxyethane, whereas it yields ethene at 443 K.
Ethers can be prepared from organic compounds by various methods. Some of them are discussed below,
Preparation of Ethers by Alcohol Dehydration
In this method, in the presence of protic acids, alcohol dehydrates to produce alkenes and ethers under different conditions. For example, in the presence of sulphuric acid, dehydration of ethanol at 413 K yields ethoxyethane, whereas it yields ethene at 443 K.