Conclusions
impure behaviors
Perceptions of good and evil help people successfully function in the social world, but sometimes they may guide them to do something immoral. We showed that even one strong alcoholic drink changes the willingness to do harmful and impure behaviors, like kicking the dog in the head. However, alcohol did not change the willingness to stand against authorities or be disloyal or unfair. Because moral judgment precedes immoral behaviors, our results may help explain why some people under the influence of alcohol break the rules by doing things they would never do when sober.