Is Wine Mirror The Mind? The Effects Of Alcohol On Moral Judgment

Recent studies have shown that moral judgment is a fairy complicated phenomenon,which can be affected by objective factors,including the alcohol.In our daily life,alcohol has become more approachable.People like to drink at party with family and friends.Therefore,it makes us discover a new phenomenon about alcohol.We find people often perform abnormal behavior after drink,which means alcohol consumption can change our mental and behavior activities.Some researchers believe that alcohol consumption may trigger more extreme behavior and disruptive behavior,such as drunk driving,aggressive behavior and insecure behavior(Xu Yaoshan,Li Yongjuan,2011).So,how does the alcohol affect the individual behavior and moral judgment?From psychophysiology perspective,researchers used heart rate as indicator to study.The result showed that there were no obvious changes in heart rate on the patients with alcohol dependence in all kinds of moral dilemmas,it means their hearts have slow response.It indirectly indicates that the ability the patients with alcohol dependence feel disgust has reduced(Carmona-Perera et al.,2015).Furthermore,some researchers think alcohol expectancy effect is the real reason that alcohol affects moral judgment(Burian et al.,2003).Alcohol expectancy theory think drinkers take drink wine as an excuse to their anti-social behaviors.If they have this memory,individuals'social behaviors will change without alcohol consumption.In consideration of the view that drunken will cause abnormal and immoral behavior,this study attempts to use empirical approach to explore the questions about the alcohol affecting moral judgment:whether alcohol will affect individuals' moral judgment?How does the alcohol affect individuals' moral judgment?If,as we had predicted,what is the potential psychological mechanism?If the alcohol expectancy effect will affect individuals' moral judgment?Did the behavioral disinhibition and the need to avoid harm are the mediating variables of the alcohol affecting individuals' moral judgment?By three experiments,this study examined the effect and the potential psychological mechanism of the alcohol affecting moral judgment.In experiment 1,we use the experimental group and control group to explore whether alcohol can make individuals' moral judgment significant difference,meanwhile we also explore whether the behavioral disinhibition and the need to avoid harm are the mediating variables of the alcohol affecting individuals' moral judgment;experiment 2 based on experiment 1,explore if the alcohol expectancy effect will affecting individuals' moral judgment;in experiment 3,we separate experience from behavior,attempt to use word prime method,explore whether priming drink experience will affect individuals' moral judgment to some controversial social unethical problems,further explore the deep reason why alcohol affects individuals' moral judgment.Based on these three experiments,the research findings demonstrate that:(1)Alcohol consumption can affects individuals' moral judgment.The participants were drunk more likely to make an utilitarian decision in moral dilemma rather than the participants were no drunk.(2)Alcohol can affects individuals' need to avoid harm.The participants were drunk have less need to avoid harm rather than the participants were no drunk.(3)Alcohol can affects individuals' feeling of behavioral disinhibition.The participants were drunk feeling more behavioral disinhibition rather than the participants were no drunk.(4)Alcohol expectancy effect can affects individuals' moral judgment.The participants were primed alcohol expectancy effect more likely to judge the ethical behavior to be more ethical than the participants were not primed alcohol expectancy effect.