We've known for awhile that computers can help counsel patients to make better decisions about their health. But, most of the systems built for this purpose so far require users to interact with the "counselor" using a "point-and-click" interface. That is, patients enter their responses to the computer's prompts by clicking, pressing, typing, and so on. Obviously, most typical counseling interactions with a person simply allow patients to speak naturally about their experiences, and this may be a more potent way of interacting that leads to better outcomes. In a small study, we tested whether a computer counseling system that used a natural speech interface helped heavy-drinking college students reduce their alcohol use and alcohol-related problems, when compared with a "point-and-click" interface. Find out more about our results here!
When intoxicated, sex cues may command more of your attention
In a paper we recently published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, we showed that one way alcohol intoxication may lead to riskier choices about sex is that sex-related cues may command more of your attention than when you're sober. This could make sex seem more impelling, even at the expense of its consequences.