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A recent study has revealed that alcohol consumption not only increases pain tolerance but also contributes to more aggressive behavior, potentially offering new insights into why intoxicated individuals may engage in harmful actions. The research, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, suggests that alcohol’s ability to dull pain might reduce empathy and make people more willing to inflict pain on others.
The study, led by Brad Bushman, a professor of communication at The Ohio State University, involved two experiments with 870 participants who were regular drinkers. After consuming either an alcoholic or placebo beverage, participants were subjected to controlled electrical shocks. The intensity of the shocks was increased until participants described the sensation as “painful,” which was used to determine their pain threshold.
Following the pain threshold test, participants took part in a competitive reaction time task, where they could deliver shocks to an opponent. The results showed that those who consumed alcohol exhibited a higher pain threshold and were more aggressive in delivering longer and stronger shocks to their “opponent,” compared to those who drank the placebo.
“The more pain they could tolerate, the more pain they were willing to inflict on someone else,” Bushman explained. “When people drink, they may become less sensitive to their own discomfort, which could diminish their empathy for others.”
The study highlights the potential dangers of intoxication, as increased pain tolerance may lead to greater aggression. While previous research has linked alcohol consumption to aggressive behavior, this study suggests that heightened pain tolerance is a contributing factor.
Participants in the alcohol group had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) averaging between 0.095% and 0.11%, slightly above the legal driving limit of 0.08% in most states. Bushman noted that higher levels of intoxication could amplify the effects of alcohol on pain tolerance and aggression.
This research, co-authored by C. Nathan DeWall of the University of Kentucky and Peter Giancola, a clinical psychologist in Montreal, was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Center for Research Resources. The findings may lead to further studies on the relationship between alcohol, pain perception, and aggressive behavior.
