EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON DIVIDED ATTENTION A ND ON ACCURACY OF ATTENTIONAL SHIFT

Two experiments are described in which a group of students (39 in expe riment 1, 32 in experiment 2) carried out: 1-a dual task 2-a test of a uditory attentional shift, both under two conditions: A-after drinking an alcoholic beverage until reaching a blood alcohol level between 0, 3 and 0,4 gr/l in experiment 1 and between 0,2 and 0,3 gr/l in experim ent 2, and B-after drinking a similar beverage with a negligible alcoh olic content. Results showed that these low blood alcohol levels -belo w the legal limit for car drivers in Spain-impaired accuracy in attent ional shift and affected the capacity of dividing attention. Possible implications for driving behaviour and road safety are discussed.