Which statement about the effect of alcohol on judgment is most accurate?

• A. Alcohol use guarantees improved judgment.
• B. Alcohol use never affects decision-making.
• C. Alcohol use can cloud judgment and impair decision-making.
• D. Alcohol use always results in enhanced memory.

Answer: (C)

The effect of alcohol on judgment is that it tends to cloud thinking and make decision-making less careful. Alcohol depresses parts of the brain responsible for evaluating risks, controlling impulses, and planning ahead. With those functions dampened, people are more likely to misjudge situations, overestimate their abilities, and choose options they wouldn’t normally pick. That’s why the statement that alcohol use can cloud judgment and impair decision-making is the most accurate description of what usually happens.

The other ideas don’t fit because alcohol does not reliably improve judgment, and it certainly doesn’t never affect decision-making. Saying it always enhances memory isn’t correct either—memory can be impaired, with possible blackouts or fragmented recall, rather than improved.