In a balanced placebo experiment it was hypothesized that pharmacological effects of alcohol would override expectancy effects and that alcohol would increase aggression only under frustrative conditions by a process of an exaggerated subjective experience of frustration. In a modified “aggression-machine” frustration was defined as arbitrary and manipulated in a within-subjects fashion. Manipulation checks indicated difficulties in deceiving subjects as to the content of the drink, and it was not possible to evaluate pure pharmacological effects. Ratings of subjective frustration did not differentiate experimental groups. Only during frustrative conditions did intoxicated subjects increase their aggression regardless of information about drink's content. Frustration per se and expectancy factors did not lead to increased aggression. This was explained in terms of a more narrow focusing on outstanding available response alternatives and as opposed to the 1983 Taylor and Leonard explanation of alcohol-increased aggression.
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