Understanding Alcohol Reward in Social Context

Objective: Although the vast majority of alcohol consumption outside the laboratory occurs in
social context, experimental studies of alcohol's emotionally reinforcing effects have
overwhelmingly examined individuals drinking in isolation. The current study examines
motivationally salient elements of everyday social drinking contexts as moderators of
alcohol-related reinforcement. More specifically, the present study examine whether alcohol
is more reinforcing within the context of unfamiliar vs. familiar social interaction and,
further, whether alcohol is more reinforcing within the context of low vs. high quality
social relationships. The current study furthermore examine whether individuals with
characteristics that put them at risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (e.g., male
gender, impulsive/extraverted personality profile, heavy patterns of consumption, family
history of AUD, ...) exhibit heightened emotional reinforcement from alcohol within these
social drinking contexts.

The current project represents a test of competing theories of alcohol reinforcement. Alcohol
myopia theory—which has heretofore represented the most prominent theory of alcohol's
effects—predicts that alcohol's ability to relieve stress depends on the nature (positive or
negative) of stimuli in the drinker's immediate environment. Alcohol myopia theory might thus
predict that alcohol's rewarding effects will be larger within familiar interactions and
within secure relationships. In contrast, the social attributional theory of alcohol
reinforcement predicts that alcohol-related reinforcement will be most pronounced within the
context of unfamiliar social interactions.

Study Population: Participants will consist of 600 male and female drinkers, aged 21-30, with
no reported history of severe alcohol use disorder. Participants will be sampled such that at
least 360 of these participants will classify as heavy drinkers.

Design: In the laboratory arm of the study, individuals will be randomly assigned to consume
either a moderate dose of alcohol or a control beverage in the company of either familiar or
unfamiliar individuals. Of these individuals, a subset will also participate in an ambulatory
assessment period over the course of several weeks to examine the interaction of alcohol and
social contextual factors in daily life. In the ambulatory study arm, participants will wear
transdermal sensors to assess BAC (calibrated for each individual within the laboratory
session) and will further provide information about their mood and their social contexts in
response to random prompts.

Outcome Measures: Primary outcome measures include self-reports of positive and negative
mood. The investigators will also examine facial expressions using the Facial Action Coding
System, a comprehensive, anatomically-based system for categorizing facial muscle movement.
One aim of the current study is to examine whether differential reinforcement from alcohol in
unfamiliar social contexts emerges only with respect to self-reports, or is also observable
within facial behaviors.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Between the ages of 21 and 30

- Currently drinks alcohol

- Able to provide at least 2 same-gender friend referrals

Exclusion Criteria:

- Female participant is pregnant or trying to become pregnant

- Endorsed medical disorder caused by, or made worse by, alcohol

- History of severe alcohol problems

- Use of drugs known to interact with alcohol