this post was submitted on 18 May 2024
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Science Memes

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https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.10002

Abstract (emphasis mine):

The concept of a 'Ballmer Peak' was first proposed in 2007, postulating that there exists a very specific blood alcohol content which confers superhuman programming ability. More generally, there is a commonly held belief among software engineers that coding is easier and more productive after a few drinks. Using the industry standard for assessment of coding ability, we conducted a search for such a peak and more generally investigated the effect of different amounts of alcohol on performance. We conclusively refute the existence of a specific peak with large magnitude, but with p < 0.001 find that there was a significant positive effect to a low amount of alcohol - slightly less than two drinks - on programming ability.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

This applies to a lot of physical activities as well. I have a friend who's a really good bowler, and every one of his 300 games (perfect score for you non-bowlers) has been when he's had exactly 2 drinks. He can't do it with less because he gets too nervous - and more means he gets too sloppy and loses his edge.

We joke and call beer "bowling juice".

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago

I've also found another peak somewhere after 6, I lost count. I couldn't stand straight but I went like 34 kills to 6 deaths in a vr shooter.