The psychology of alcohol use and addiction with Prof. Roy Baumeister

In this episode, we talk to Prof. Roy Baumeister about the psychology of alcohol use and addiction. We cover topics such as why people drink, the effects of alcohol, the role of emotions such as guilt, and how self-control works. 

Prof Baumeister is one of the most eminent living psychologists with over 40 books and 700 scientific publications. His book "Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength" (with John Tierney) was a New York Times bestseller.

Show notes

Should alcohol research say more about the pleasure of alcohol use? A recent article published in the journal of Addiction prompted a range of responses and further comment. 

In discussing whether harmful effects of alcohol use are over-estimated, I mention studies using Mendelian Randomization. One of the studies in East Asian populations where genetic 'flushing' effects have been used to test whether risks of alcohol consumption providing evidence for there being no protective effects of moderate drinking.

A recent meta-analysis looked at how different quality studies appear to account for different findings around low level alcohol consumption, thus explaining the supposed 'health benefits' of low consumption.