Alcohol consumption increases attractiveness ratings of opposite-sex faces: a possible third route to risky sex.

AIMS

To measure the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on males' and females' attractiveness ratings of unfamiliar male and female faces.

PARTICIPANTS

Eighty undergraduate volunteers were used in each of three experiments.

DESIGN

Participants' ratings on a 1-7 scale was the dependent variable. A three-factor mixed design was used. For experiments 1 and 2: one within-factor, sex-of-face to be rated (male/female); two between-factors, sex-of-rater (male/female) and alcohol status of rater (0 UK units/1-6 UK units). For experiment 3, the two levels of sex-of-face were replaced by two levels of a non-face object. In experiment 1, the faces were rated for attractiveness; in experiment 2, the faces were rated for distinctiveness and in experiment 3, the non-face objects were rated for attractiveness.

SETTING

Quiet, prepared corners of bars and licensed eating areas on a civic university campus.

METHOD

For each experiment, 118 full-colour photographic images were presented randomly on a laptop computer screen, each remaining until a rating response was made.

FINDINGS

There was a significant alcohol consumption enhancement effect only for attractiveness ratings of opposite-sex faces in experiment 1. This indicates that the opposite-sex enhancement effect is not due simply to alcohol consumption causing the use of higher points of ratings scales, in general.

CONCLUSION

Since Agocha & Cooper have shown that the likelihood of intentions to engage in risky sex increases as the facial attractiveness of the potential sexual partner increases, through the opposite-sex enhancement effect we identify a new possible link between risky sex and alcohol consumption.