Lost in the Sauce
Psychological Science April 28, 2009 Michael A. Sayette, Erik D. Reichle, Jonathan W. Schooler 135 citations
Alcohol increases mind wandering while reducing the likelihood of noticing it. In a study of 54 male social drinkers, those who consumed alcohol (0.82 g/kg) were significantly more likely to report zoning out when probed during a reading task, compared with those who drank a placebo. After accounting for this increase in mind wandering, alcohol also lowered the probability of catching oneself zoning out. The findings suggest alcohol alters both experiential consciousness and metaconsciousness, making drinkers more prone to lapses in attention without awareness.