Fieldwork: The Psychological Cocktail

Bringing Sexy Back

Listening to sexually charged music primes people to emphasize sex appeal in judging others' overall attractiveness, even when the music isn't in their native language. Something to remember when you're making your next party mix.

Volume Control

Drinkers down a glass of beer three minutes faster when they're listening to loud music. The high volume may have an arousal effect or it may just discourage conversation, providing more time for drinking.

Mr. Right Now

First impressions can be highly revealing—our judgments about people's friend or mate potential are often accurate. But they may also be self-fulfilling prophecies: Predicting a close relationship after five minutes can help make it happen by establishing a script we then follow.

Beer Goggles

Not only do men and women rate faces of the opposite sex as more appealing after drinking, but they also perceive their own gender as more attractive. And, beer goggles persist in men for at least 24 hours after drinking, but only for female faces they initially saw while inebriated.

NightCap

Consuming two to three drinks an hour before bed suppresses melatonin, a hormone that regulates our circadian rhythms. Although a moderate nightcap does not immediately impair sleep, it may shift your sleep cycle the next day.

Raising the Bar

Drinks served at bars and restaurants typically contain more alcohol than the standard drink, with the exception of shots and bottled beers, according to a study of 80 establishments in northern California. Wine and mixed drinks had 40% extra alcohol.

Tags: alcohol, bar, beer goggles, behavior, circadian rhythms, environment, female faces, fieldwork, judging others, loud music, nightcap, self fulfilling prophecies, sex appeal

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