No Such Thing As ‘Beer Goggles’, Says Science

A new study failed to find any evidence that drinking alcohol makes other people appear more attractive.

The supposed link between the amount of alcohol consumed, and the perceived attractiveness of another individual - also known as ’beer googles’ - may not be as strong as previously thought.

Published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, a news study looked at 311 pub patrons and asked them to rate 40 portraits for attractiveness as well as rating the extent to which they believe they were intoxicated.

All the participants were also breathalyzed.

The results found ‘no clear evidence for relationships between alcohol consumption and perception of attractiveness’, which may come as a blow to those who have previously used alcohol consumption as an excuse for ill-judged liaisons.

Rather than being based in a lab, the study was conducted in the field - three different pubs in the same chain.

However, there was no control group of sober participants with which to compare results. Participants were also not asked to divulge their sexuality, which may have affected the attractiveness ratings they gave.

According to psypost.org, the researchers concluded:

“Future studies should use similarly ecologically-valid methodologies to further explore the conditions under which this effect may be observed and identify whether it is indeed perceptions of attractiveness which change after consumption of alcohol, or motivations.

“A meta-analysis of the existing literature would provide further clarification regarding the strength of evidence supporting the relationship between alcohol consumption and perceptions of attractiveness.”

(Image credit: TheJournal.ie)