Lost in the Sauce
Michael A. Sayette, Erik D. Reichle, Jonathan W. Schooler
Psychological Science April 28, 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02351.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 54 |
| Population | Male social drinkers |
| Intervention | Alcohol |
| Dose | 0.82 g/kg |
| Keywords | Mind-wandering Consciousness Task project management Alcohol intoxication Reading process Cognitive psychology Poison control Injury prevention Cognition |
| Citations | 135 |
| Post-publication review | 1 comment on PubPeer (opens in new tab) · last active September 2016 |
| Key findings | Alcohol increases mind wandering while reducing the likelihood of noticing one's mind wandering. |
Abstract
Alcohol consumption alters consciousness in ways that make drinking both alluring and hazardous. Recent advances in the study of consciousness using a mind-wandering paradigm permit a rigorous examination of the effects of alcohol on experiential consciousness and metaconsciousness. Fifty-four male social drinkers consumed alcohol (0.82 g/kg) or a placebo beverage and then performed a mind-wandering reading task. This task indexed both self-caught and probe-caught zone-outs to distinguish between mind wandering inside and outside of awareness. Compared with participants who drank the placebo, those who drank alcohol were significantly more likely to report that they were zoning out when probed. After this increase in mind wandering was accounted for, alcohol also lowered the probability of catching oneself zoning out. The results suggest that alcohol increases mind wandering while simultaneously reducing the likelihood of noticing one's mind wandering. Findings are discussed with regard to theories of alcohol and theories of consciousness.
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- Meditation training influences mind wandering and mindless reading. Psychology of Consciousness Theory Research and Practice March 1, 2016
- Opening the black box: Think Aloud as a method to study the spontaneous stream of consciousness. Consciousness and Cognition February 1, 2025
- Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) impairs visual working memory performance: a randomized crossover trial. Neuropsychopharmacology October 1, 2020
- Δ 9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) impairs visual working memory performance: A randomized crossover trial bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) September 23, 2019
- A randomized controlled pilot trial of brief online mindfulness training in young drivers. Accident; Analysis and Prevention October 2, 2023
and 8 more in the library
Cites 2
- Discovering Memories of Abuse in the Light of Meta-Awareness Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma June 12, 2001
- Segmenting the stream of consciousness: the psychological correlates of temporal structures in the time series data of a continuous performance task. Brain and Cognition February 1, 2008