PROVOCATION, ACUTE ALCOHOL-INTOXICATION, COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE, AND AGGRESSION

This study investigated the relationships between provocation, acute a lcohol intoxication, impaired frontal-lobe function, and aggressive be havior. The authors ranked 114 men according to their performance on t wo neuropsychological tests associated with frontal-lobe function. For ty-eight men (24 with scores in the upper and 24 with scores in the lo wer performance quartiles) participated in the full study. Half comple ted an aggression task while intoxicated, the remainder while sober. A ggression was defined as shock intensity delivered to a sham opponent. Shock intensity significantly increased as a main effect of provocati on, alcohol intoxication, and lower cognitive performance. Furthermore , provocation interacted significantly with test performance such that individuals in the lower cognitive performance quartile responded to increased provocation with heightened aggression.