Affective and behavioral reactions to the violation of limits on alcohol consumption

The limit violation effect (LVE) was studied by inducing male social drinkers to consume either more or less beer than their prestated limit on alcohol intake. Affective and behavioral reactions to the violation of drinking limits were mediated by attributional style and aspects of drinking restraint. Subjects who reported greater than average levels of self-blaming attributions, restrictions on alcohol intake and cognitive preoccupation with alcohol became depressed and angry after the violation of drinking limits. In contrast to the hypothesized excessive-drinking component of the LVE, subjects who experienced negative affective reactions to the violation ordered fewer shots in a subsequent whiskey-tasting task. Possible conceptual and methodological reasons for observing only the affective component of the LVE are discussed.