EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON TASTE AND SMELL

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of alcohol on people's perception of taste and smell. The paper begins with a brief description of the impacting factor (alcohol) and how it operates. It then goes on to discuss the affects of alcohol at the first and second levels of perception of taste and smell. The final section of the paper presents a several conclusions formulated on the basis of the reviewed literature.

Alcohol is the term used to refer to any class of organic compounds characterized by one or more hydroxyl (OH) groups attached to a carbon atom of an alkyl group (hydrocarbon chain). Because of its effects on body and behavior, people often drink beverages containing ethyl alcohol which is produced by distilling the fermented juice of fruits or grains. Following the consumption of ethyl alcohol, the alcohol goes to the stomach where it is absorbed into the bloodstream by the walls of the intestines. Factors affecting the absorption rate can include: the amount of alcohol consumed, the amount and type of food in the stomach, and the person's body weight.

Once in the bloodstream, the alcohol is metabolized, mostly by the liver. In general, the rate at which the body metabolizes alcohol is about three-fourths of an ounce to one ounce of whiskey per hour. If alcohol is consumed faster than the rate at which it is metabolized, it will have ef

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eir past experiences with alcohol and their expectations of how the alcohol will affect them. Also, odors in general are now believed to provide the best memory cues because some of our oldest and most emotionally-laden memories are associated with odors (Guinard, Zouman-Morese, Dietz, Goldberg, Holtz, Heck & Amoros, 1996). Thus, it is quite possible that upon drinking alcohol, it's smell still experienced will set off a series of certain very emotional memories in a given individual, stirring up past images, past thoughts, a remembered mood, and so forth. One of the more interesting findings concerning odor is that it can affect motor performance and it is well known that alcohol, if drunk in quantities greater than the body metabolizes can impair motor performance (Finger & Silver, 1991). However, cognitive factors play a role here. Studies have shown that particular, beliefs about both the odor and the context in which odors is experienced are important determinants of how odors affect performance, mood, and behavior (Finger & Silver, 1991). Therefore, the extent to which an individual's mood and behavior will be affected by the smell of alcohol is going to depend upon where he is drinking and his existing beliefs about how t
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1464
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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