CASE STUDY Does alcohol increase our perception of the attractiveness of members of the opposite sex? Researchers at the University of Bristol in England attempted to answer this question. Forty-two male and 42 female students at the University of Bristol were recruited to take part in a study. Students were randomly assigned to receive either a strong alcoholic drink (vodka, tonic water, and lime cordial) or a placebo (tonic water and lime cordial). They were given 15 minutes to consume their drink, after which they were asked to rate the facial attractiveness of 20 male and female faces. The researchers compared the ratings of those receiving the alcoholic drink with those receiving the placebo.

Many students would like to be participants in such an experiment. But is having subjects consume a strong alcoholic drink so that their judgment is impaired ethical? By the end of this chapter, you will have learned the principles that will help you answer this question.