The UTC Graduate School is pleased to announce that Erin Prince will present Master’s research titled, Alcohol and Cognition: Ego Threat as a Moderator on 06/06/2024 at 12:00pm in 540 McCallie Ave., Room 357 . Everyone is invited to attend.
Psychology
Chair: Tomorrow Arnold
Co-Chair:
Abstract:
Ego threat (challenges to self-esteem) can impair cognitive performance, especially when combined with alcohol. Alcohol disrupts brain regions linked to decision-making, potentially amplifying the negative effects of social threat on impulse control. Current research has not fully explored how ego threat and alcohol interact to influence impulsive behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of ego threat in moderating the effects of alcohol on impulse control and attention. A sample of 30 college students aged 21-49 years old were recruited via SONA to participate in this study. A 2×2 factorial hybrid design was used, in which participants completed iterations of the Visual Search Task (VST; attentional control) and the Go/No Go Task (GNG; impulse control) across laboratory and naturalistic sessions. Ego threat was manipulated during both sessions by using negative feedback from filler tasks embedded within the overall task sequence. I found reaction times during visual scanning and sustained attention were slowed by alcohol consumption, potentially indicating lapses in executive control when intoxicated. Additionally, an interaction effect was observed between intoxication and ego threat, with both factors further compounding the slowing of visual scanning and reaction time. Finally, a moderate correlation was observed between UPPS-P scale sum scores and Go/No-Go task reaction times while unintoxicated. This suggests that moderate trait impulsivity is associated with faster processing speeds when sober. Consistent with previous research, these results are indicative of the impairing effects of alcohol on crucial executive functions, such as impulse and attentional control. In addition, findings related to the role of ego threat indicate a moderating effect when performing higher order tasks, but this was not fully observed as a compounding factor. Future research should focus on deciphering the complex interplay between ego threat and higher order cognitive processes.