Alcohol, Cognition, and Impusivity - 1561 Words

When alcohol is consumed it attacks and impairs a variety of cognitive processes (Norton Halay, 2001). Some of these cognitive processes include: executive decision making, impulse control, modification of emotion, and future preparation (Norton et al., 2001). The focus of this Research Paper will be to examine the cognitive effects of alcohol consumption and any correlations between impulse control (impulsivity) and alcohol consumption. Research studies have shown that alcohol use disrupts the neurocognitive processes involved in self-regulation and is associated with a high level of behavioral disinhibition, which is characteristic of the personality trait impulsivity (Noel, Tomberg, Verbanck Campanella, 2010). The construct of†¦show more content†¦It was hypothesized that the relationship between the use of alcohol and drinking and driving would be modified by impulsivity (Moan et al., 2012). A longitudinal study was conducted in Norway. The participants were evaluated at an average age of 17 and again at an average age of 28 (Moan et al., 2012). Participants were asked to self-report on episodes of heavy alcohol consumption, drinking and driving, and impulsive behavior. A 2.6% increase in how often drunk driving occurred was found to be associated with each additional episode of heavy alcohol consumption (Moan et al., 2012). The results of this study supported the hypothesis. A significantly stronger relationship between individuals who scored high on impulsivity compared to those who scored low was found between alcohol consumption and driving drunk (Moan et al., 2012). Dangerous drinking has also been shown to be associated with higher levels of impulsivity and the elicited automatic approach tendencies by alcohol related cues (Christiansen, Cole, Goudie, Field, 2012). The independent measures of impulsivity and their relationship with dangerous drinking were examined. Individual differences as moderators within the relationship between danger ous drinking and automatic approach tendencies towards alcohol were also examined (Christiansen et al., 2012). The participants in this study consisted of ninety-seven social drinkers of which sixty-five were female. The participants completed several