The Effects of Erotica Exposure On Drinking: Replication and Extension

Despite considerable research on the effects of alcohol on sexuality, little is known about the effects of sexual excitation on drinking. We investigated the effects of erotica exposure, anticipation, and belief in alcohol-induced disinhibition on wine consumption. Following exposure to neutral, erotic, or deviant-erotic stimulus slides, male volunteers participated in an ad lib wine consumption task. Half the participants were led to anticipate further exposure to the stimulus material. For participants in the no-anticipation condition, exposure to erotica but not to deviant-erotica led to more drinking than did exposure to neutral materials. In the anticipation condition, high believers in alcohol's disinhibitory powers drank more than low believers. These findings are discussed in terms of arousal-induced drinking and alcohol's putative excuse-giving effects regarding sexual behavior.