Beer intoxication and physical aggression in males

Abstract

Twenty subjects participated in an experiment testing the effects of a moderate dose of beer on physical aggression. Subjects were randomly assigned to a beer drinking group or a control group. Aggression was measured in terms of number of shocks given, shock intensity, and shock duration in a modified version of the Buss' aggression machine. There were no differences among groups and there was no interaction of beer by frustration on aggression. The results are explained in terms of expectancies held by subjects as to the effects of beer intoxication on behaviour.