Moderate amounts of alcohol – consumed in a social setting – can increase positive feelings and bonding, University of Pittsburgh researchers suggest.

Moderate Doses of Alcohol Increase Social Bonding in Groups:

Alcohol stimulates social bonding, increases the amount of time people spend talking to one another, and reduces displays of negative emotions. According to Sayette, the paper introduces into the alcohol literature new measures of facial expression and speech behavior that offer a sensitive and comprehensive assessment of social bonding.

Results showed that alcohol not only increased the frequency of “true” smiles, but also enhanced the coordination of these smiles. In other words, alcohol enhanced the likelihood of “golden moments,” with groups provided alcohol being more likely than those offered nonalcoholic beverages to have all three group members smile simultaneously. Participants in alcohol-drinking groups also likely reported greater social bonding than did the nonalcohol-drinking groups and were more likely to have all three members stay involved in the discussion.

Explains why AA meeting attendees seem so distant and cold.

Shop at Amazon.com and support Digital Deconstruction

Jeff Cormier

Dad, husband, dog lover, law, write at DigitalDeconstruction.com and other online destinations, forever immature. It's the me that I let you know.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook