Four hundred fifty-eight adults aged 21–34 (M age = 23.31; 49% female, 88% Caucasian) were recruited from the Columbia, MO community for a study examining effects of alcohol on cognition. Study announcements were placed in mass email blasts and in online classifieds. Interested individuals were instructed to contact the lab. Potential participants were interviewed via telephone; individuals reporting conditions contraindicating participation in an alcohol challenge (abstention; history of alcohol or drug abuse treatment or other serious mental or physical illness; deliberate attempts to cut down on drinking; prescription medication other than oral contraception; pregnancy) or that would impede completion of laboratory tasks (color-blindness; a primary language other than English) were excluded from the sample. In addition, to ensure that the alcohol dose received in the study would be within participants’ normal range of experience, naive drinkers (< 2 drinks per week on average) and very heavy drinkers (≥25 drinks per week on average) were excluded from the sample. Eligible individuals were scheduled for the first of two laboratory sessions. Participants received $35 for the baseline session and $14/hour for participation in the second (beverage administration) session.
