Alcohol intoxication reduces detection of asymmetry: an explanation for increased perceptions of facial attractiveness after alcohol consumption?

Ratings of physical attractiveness are related to degree of facial symmetry. Acute alcohol consumption affects ratings of physical attractiveness and also attenuates aspects of visual perception. We tested the hypothesis that increases in ratings of attractiveness associated with alcohol intoxication can be attributed at least in part to a reduced ability to discern facial asymmetry due to reductions in levels of visual perception. We examined whether alcohol intoxication reduces ability to detect asymmetry in approximately symmetrical images. Sober and intoxicated subjects were shown a series of simple geometric images to which they responded on whether they perceived each one to be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Intoxicated subjects were significantly less able to detect asymmetry than were sober subjects, providing support for the hypothesis.