Male alcohol-related aggression as a function of type of drink

The present study tested the so-called type-of-drink effect on aggression, that is, the idea that moderate acute alcohol intoxication elicits more agg ression when the alcohol is drunk in the form of spirits than in the form o f beer or wine, A computerized version of the Taylor "aggression machine" w as used. Spirits-drinking subjects drank 1.0 ml of 100% alcohol per kg body weight. To compensate for the lower alcohol concentration, beer- and,vine- drinking subjects drank 20% more. No significant differences were found bet ween drinkers of different beverages in terms of blood alcohol levels, Resu lts indicated that spirits elicited more direct physical aggression than ei ther beer or wine. Three different possible explanations for this finding w ere discussed. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.