The closing-time effect

After a trip to the bar and a long night of drinking, patrons have, without a doubt, experienced the "closing-time effect" — not to be confused with the tendency to play or refer to Semisonic's song "Closing Time," but the phenomena many experience toward the end of a night out, which makes everyone seem more attractive.

While many attribute this to "beer-goggles," some psychologists contend that this is not due to alcohol, but some other factor or factors.

The effect has received a palpable amount of academic attention. The first academic study was performed in 1979 and simply confirmed that the closing-time effect, also known as reactance, does exist; however, it did not provide an absolute cause for it.

Everyone has an opinion about what the cause or causes are, and students at the University of Toledo are no different.

"Bar settings are usually dimmer and everyone looks better in dim lighting," Olivia Webb, a junior at UT, offered as one possible cause.

She went on to comment, "Some people go to the bar to hook up and by the end of the night they settle, or there are some people who go to the bar just to meet people and their inhibitions get messed up."

Another possible cause was that provided by a bartender at Jake's Saloon: "It's the amount of how tired you are and alcohol content. I know the more tired I am the faster I get drunk."

Kevin Cheung, a senior majoring in social work, confirmed this theory by adding, "later at night you get tired."

"And desperate," added Nick Ford, Jake Saloon patron. "Nobody wants to go home alone."

"Beer goggles: Blood Alcohol Concentration in Relation to Attractiveness Ratings for Unfamiliar Opposite Sex Faces in Naturalistic Settings" is a study conducted in Australia by researchers at Bond University last year. They tracked 87 patrons at a blue-collar bar in Australia for one night. The scientists measured their subjects' blood-alcohol level with a breathalyzer and had them rate the attractiveness of those around them.

The study found that while alcohol does play a role, it is not the only factor at work. According to Tom Bartlett of the Chronicle of Higher Education, "Australian researchers cast doubt on that theory because, in their sample, even people in self-described serious relationships thought those around them were cuter in the wee hours."

A possible remedy for this doubt provided by the study is the theory that people may seem more attractive to each other because of the amount of time they have been exposed to each other. This theory adds that in addition to the length of contact, the dwindling number of people at the establishment may also play a role.

Unfortunately, the closing-time effect can have decisively negative repercussions.

"The day after you wake up and you don't know their name and you're like ‘Oh no, I hope I used protection,'" Cheung said.

This is a common fear among co-eds and one that is addressed in the Australian study."Whatever the explanation [for the closing-time effect], the relationship between alcohol consumption and perceptions of attractiveness may have significant health implications… high attractiveness in a prospective sexual partner increases the intent to engage in risky sex."

For more information on this study visit http://epublications.bond.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1271&context=hss_pubs.