For some people, alcohol really does create quick friendships. In the first study of its kind, researchers have tested the effects of alcohol on social distancing. And the more people drink, the closer they get with strangers.

That’s the upshot of new findings by University of Illinois psychology researchers. They surveyed the drinking and social behaviors of more than 200 young adults in various situations. The study participants were separated into two groups — those who drank with a friend and those who drank with strangers. Both groups were assigned to drink either alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages.

Enough alcohol was supplied to bring the participants to intoxication. The researchers filmed the interactions and measured the distance between people using a form of artificial intelligence.

What happened with the groups of friends wasn’t terribly surprising. Drunk or sober, they usually drew closer.

But the alcohol had a clear, defining effect among strangers: They moved closer together only if they were intoxicated. The movements weren’t necessarily quick or substantial. The distance between them decreased about four-tenths of an inch every three minutes.

That, the researchers noted, is important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Alcohol use could help the virus spread and inhibit social distancing guidelines.

In the real world, the effects of alcohol on social distancing could be even greater. The researchers said a crowded bar with loud music might bring people even closer together than they did in a quiet, controlled lab environment.

So if you raise a glass to toast a stranger, keep an eye on their distance.