The Shuffleboard Game: Investigating Group Drinking, Mood, and Risky Behavior

• Published in: Group dynamics Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. 115 - 132
• Main Authors: Erskine-Shaw, Marianne, Monk, Rebecca Louise, Qureshi, Adam Werner, Richardson, Mia, Pearson, Lynsey, Heim, Derek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Educational Publishing Foundation 01-06-2023; American Psychological Association
• Subjects: Alcohol; Behavior; Drinking behavior; Emotional States; Emotions; Female; Friendship; Games; Group Dynamics; Group Identity; Group norms; Human; Impulsiveness; Intoxication; Male; Moodiness; Risk; Risk Taking; Social Norms; Test Construction; Toxic Disorders; alcohol; impulsivity; groups; risk-taking; mood
• ISSN: 1089-2699; 1930-7802
• DOI: 10.1037/gdn0000181

Objective: Existing research examining how social forces and alcohol interact to impact risky behaviors has yielded contrasting findings, possibly due to the nature and variety of risk-taking tasks used and the failure to consider the role of emotion. Using a novel risk task, akin to real-world drinking games, this study examines the effect of intoxication and group contexts on risk-taking, considering mediating effects of mood.
Method: One hundred thirty-two social drinkers (83 females) consumed an alcoholic (0.8 g/kg) or placebo beverage before participating in the shuffleboard game (designed to mimic real drinking games) either individually (N = 66) or in the presence of two friends (N = 66). Mood was assessed before and after beverage consumption. Results: When controlling for group identity, intoxication (vs. placebo) was associated with significantly higher risk-taking, although there was no impact of group context. No interaction between context and intoxication was observed, and mood did not mediate this relationship. Conclusions: Intoxication increases risk-taking behavior regardless of whether an individual is in a group, or isolated, whereas groups do not appear to enhance risky behavior. Previous evidence of an effect of groups on risk-taking may have been due to a failure to control for the effect of group identity. To reduce risky behaviors, interventions may benefit from targeting alcohol use while considering how preexisting social norms within a friendship group may either mitigate or exacerbate risk. Results affirm the importance of considering both intoxication and group effects on affective states when investigating risk-taking behaviors.
Highlights and Implications
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Alcohol consumption increases physical risk-taking in a novel shuffleboard game.
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Individuals do not always behave riskier in groups of friends, when accounting for differences in group identity.
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Intoxication and group contexts influence affective states, although mood does not mediate the relationship between alcohol consumption, group contexts, and individual risk-taking.
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As the effect of alcohol on individual risk-taking remains irrespective of group context, it is important for intervention efforts to consider the role of intoxication when targeting risky behaviors.
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When seeking to understand alcohol consumption and risk-taking in social settings, the complexities of social groups, including preexisting norms and identities, need to be accounted for.