During the computer-based study participants were asked to wear a face mask that was either laced with alcohol, or a non-alcoholic citrus solution. Participants were then instructed to press a button when either the letter K or a picture of a beer bottle appeared on their screen.

The researchers measured the number of times the participants incorrectly pressed the button causing a 'false alarm'. These false alarms indicate a reduction in the participant's power to inhibit their behavior when they were expected to.

Researchers found that the number of these 'false alarms' were higher in participants who were wearing the alcohol treated mask.

"We know that alcohol behaviors are shaped by our environment including who we're with and the settings in which we drink. This research is a first attempt to explore other triggers, such as smell, that may interfere with people's ability to refrain from a particular behavior. For example, during the experiment it seemed that just the smell of alcohol was making it harder for participants to control their behavior to stop pressing a button” said the author.

"This research is an early laboratory based effort that, whilst promising, needs to be replicated in real world settings to further its validity" said the author.

"Our hope is that by increasing our understanding of how context shapes substance-use behaviors, we will be able to make interventions more sensitive to the different situations in which people consume substances."

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00213-016-4221-1