4 ms·

Would love to see the same experiment repeated somehow, but for alcohol / partying. Then compare the two.

markbnj 9y ago
Heh came here to say this. Take away legal alcohol and see what happens to grades.
analog31 9y ago
If it were possible to go back and dig up historical data, there was a time period when the drinking age in the US shifted from 18 to 21, thus reducing access to alcohol for high school students. Anecdotally, my mom noticed that her students were coming back from lunch sober. It might be a chance for a similar study.
ojr 9y ago
That's a good point, if the drinking age was moved to 25, I think it'll be a bigger effect
danso 9y ago
In college I was a residence hall advisor in a dorm that was advertised as being more studious, including a zero-tolerance policy on alcohol (students could be kicked out if seen even holding an empty beer can). I'm sure the grades in the dorm were higher, but hat dorm tended to attract students who were going to be more studious/less drunkenly already.
- nxc18 9y ago
  Same, except the only people in that dorm were kids who had super strict parents and who often were placed there because their parents were worried... The 'drug and alcohol free' floor was probably among the worst in terms of drug use, alcohol use, partying, and worst of all, floorcest.
- threatofrain 9y ago
  I have an anecdote about a religious college that bans alcohol, and students would get drunk outside and drive back drunk, so there's a lingering question about whether the policy saves more lives in sum. I don't see the same complexities or side effects with banning video games, TV, or even weed.
  - zild3d 9y ago
    The similar complexity with weed is that you push people to find it through illegal channels, dealing with drug dealers of various levels of severity
danso 9y ago
I didn't try marijuana until way past the age when it could be considered rebellious. But in my experience with friends, smoking pot seemed to just leave them unfocused and unmotivated, which may have been the point. But people (leaving alcoholics aside) drink alcohol for relaxation and for stimulation. For example, some see it as "liquid courage" and after a buzz, do things that they wouldn't have sober, some of these things even end up being a net positive. And then there's the culture of drinking, in which people work hard and play hard. Removing alcohol from that situation might give people more headache-free Mondays, but might have a negative effect on morale. I'm sure many of us who drink can also say that some of our best memories/experiences happened after a few beers/shots. Again, I wasn't a pot smoker, but I'm having a hard time thinking of anytime I've done anything exciting with people who were stoned.
- sundvor 9y ago
  Yeah. I've actually never tried recreational narcotics, however have taken up the (now rather moderate) use of alcohol in the later years. I would rate drinks + a good sleep as better for my work performance as higher than no drinks / poor sleep. So many factors. Having a baby certainly tested the sleep thing; I've been far more productive with a serious hangover than some of the nights where I've been up most of it looking after the baby. In fact, sleep deprivation was rather harsh on my cognitive abilities at that time. Some of my best memories come from stuff of extreme adrenaline, and they far surpass anything on alcohol. Such as riding a motorbike at Phillip Island, being able to make a pass on a guy with a far better bike than the one I had at the time. Or a really good mountain bike ride where I really nailed a particular section.

Heh came here to say this. Take away legal alcohol and see what happens to grades.

If it were possible to go back and dig up historical data, there was a time period when the drinking age in the US shifted from 18 to 21, thus reducing access to alcohol for high school students. Anecdotally, my mom noticed that her students were coming back from lunch sober. It might be a chance for a similar study.

ojr 9y ago

That's a good point, if the drinking age was moved to 25, I think it'll be a bigger effect

danso 9y ago

In college I was a residence hall advisor in a dorm that was advertised as being more studious, including a zero-tolerance policy on alcohol (students could be kicked out if seen even holding an empty beer can). I'm sure the grades in the dorm were higher, but hat dorm tended to attract students who were going to be more studious/less drunkenly already.

nxc18 9y ago
Same, except the only people in that dorm were kids who had super strict parents and who often were placed there because their parents were worried... The 'drug and alcohol free' floor was probably among the worst in terms of drug use, alcohol use, partying, and worst of all, floorcest.
threatofrain 9y ago
I have an anecdote about a religious college that bans alcohol, and students would get drunk outside and drive back drunk, so there's a lingering question about whether the policy saves more lives in sum. I don't see the same complexities or side effects with banning video games, TV, or even weed.
- zild3d 9y ago
  The similar complexity with weed is that you push people to find it through illegal channels, dealing with drug dealers of various levels of severity

danso 9y ago

I didn't try marijuana until way past the age when it could be considered rebellious. But in my experience with friends, smoking pot seemed to just leave them unfocused and unmotivated, which may have been the point. But people (leaving alcoholics aside) drink alcohol for relaxation and for stimulation. For example, some see it as "liquid courage" and after a buzz, do things that they wouldn't have sober, some of these things even end up being a net positive. And then there's the culture of drinking, in which people work hard and play hard. Removing alcohol from that situation might give people more headache-free Mondays, but might have a negative effect on morale. I'm sure many of us who drink can also say that some of our best memories/experiences happened after a few beers/shots. Again, I wasn't a pot smoker, but I'm having a hard time thinking of anytime I've done anything exciting with people who were stoned.

sundvor 9y ago
Yeah. I've actually never tried recreational narcotics, however have taken up the (now rather moderate) use of alcohol in the later years. I would rate drinks + a good sleep as better for my work performance as higher than no drinks / poor sleep. So many factors. Having a baby certainly tested the sleep thing; I've been far more productive with a serious hangover than some of the nights where I've been up most of it looking after the baby. In fact, sleep deprivation was rather harsh on my cognitive abilities at that time. Some of my best memories come from stuff of extreme adrenaline, and they far surpass anything on alcohol. Such as riding a motorbike at Phillip Island, being able to make a pass on a guy with a far better bike than the one I had at the time. Or a really good mountain bike ride where I really nailed a particular section.