A social lubricant is any food, beverage, drug or activity that stimulates social interactions or helps people feel more comfortable in social occasions.[1] Different cultures use different social lubricants for this purpose. Some common social lubricants are:
- Humor[2]
- Alcoholic beverages (beer in pub culture, or wine in wine bars, for example)[3]
- Marijuana
- MDMA
- Coffee (in coffee cultures, for example)
- Tea (at tea parties, for example)
- Tobacco (in cigarettes or a hookah, for example)
- Small talk (informal discourse or conversation, for example)
- Campfires and bonfires
"Social lubricant" is sometimes used as a euphemism for a bribe or other improper payment.[4]
Referring to alcohol or marijuana as "social lubricants" has been criticized because they have negative effects on empathy. Alcohol is especially known for this and has the potential to increase aggression and cause disputes or violence.[5]
- ^ Simmons, Nathaniel (2015). "Using Social Lubricants to Increase Conversationality". Discourse: The Journal of the SCASD. 2. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Reilly, Rosemary (2006). "Humor as a Social Lubricant in an Expert Thinking System" (PDF). The International Journey of Learning. 13. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ "Alcohol is a Social Lubricant, Study Confirms". Association for Psychological Science. August 21, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Moore, Fernanda (September 23, 2004). "The Priceless Payoff". New York Magazine. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Fairbairn, Catharine; Sayette, Michael (September 2014). "A Social-Attributional Analysis of Alcohol Response". Psychological Bulletin. 140 (5): 1361–1382. doi:10.1037/a0037563. PMC 4153408. Retrieved October 4, 2024.