Most of us are familiar with the “social lubricating” effects of drinking alcohol with other people. But a new study suggests that alcohol heightens sensitivity to rewarding social behaviors – such as smiling – for men particularly, uncovering potential risk factors that contribute to problem drinking in this group.

Share on Pinterest A new study suggests alcohol increases sensitivity to rewarding social behaviors in men particularly, possibly explaining why men are more likely to drink excessively.

The researchers, led by Catharine Fairbairn of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, publish their findings in the journal Clinical Psychological Science.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men are more likely than women to drink excessively, which comes with significant increases in risks to health and safety – including chronic diseases such as liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, certain cancers, high blood pressure and psychological disorders.

Fairbairn and her team say researchers have hypothesized that men experience greater rewards from alcohol than women do, but previous studies – in which participants were tested when they were drinking alone – have not offered substantial evidence.

As such, for their latest study, the researchers focused on the impact of gender and alcohol on “emotional contagion,” which is a social mechanism of bonding and social cohesion.

“Many men report that the majority of their social support and social bonding time occurs within the context of alcohol consumption,” explains Fairbairn. “We wanted to explore the possibility that social alcohol consumption was more rewarding to men than to women – the idea that alcohol might actually ‘lubricate’ social interaction to a greater extent among men.”

To examine an objective non-verbal indicator of social bonding in the wake of group drinking, the team focused on the infectiousness of genuine smiles – known as Duchenne smiles, which involve the muscles around the mouth and eyes – in study participants.

They explain that Duchenne smiles are linked to genuine felt emotion, in contrast to outward displays of emotion, which may not necessarily be genuine. What is more, a standardized procedure can accurately identify and measure these smiles.