6.3.2 Flashcards
Biological Explanation of Impulse Control Disorders (ICDs)
The stimulation of reward centers, like the nucleus accumbens, triggers dopamine release, leading to feelings of pleasure and reinforcing behaviors, making them more frequent.
Dopamine and Reward Centres
Dopamine is released during pleasurable behaviors, causing excitement and anticipation even before the behavior is performed, strengthening the likelihood of its repetition.
Operant Conditioning and Dopamine
In operant conditioning, behaviors followed by pleasure (due to dopamine) become more frequent, reinforcing the behavior over time.
Classical Conditioning and Dopamine
Cues associated with previously rewarded behaviors also trigger dopamine release, reinforcing those behaviors through classical conditioning.
Reward Deficiency Syndrome
ICDs may result from reduced dopamine, prompting individuals to seek out activities that increase dopamine levels, sometimes due to genetic factors.
Genetic Factors and Dopamine Deficiency
Dopamine deficiency may be genetically influenced, contributing to the development of ICDs as individuals seek ways to boost dopamine levels.
Psychological Explanation: Positive Reinforcement
Behaviors that are followed by rewards, such as stealing, fire-starting, and gambling, are positively reinforced, making these behaviors more likely to recur.
Variable Ratio Reinforcement (VRR) and Gambling
Variable ratio reinforcement, where rewards are unpredictable, leads to the highest rates of behavior, explaining the addictive nature of gambling.
VRR and Resistance to Extinction
Behaviors learned through variable ratio reinforcement are highly resistant to extinction, which explains why repeated losses in gambling do not reduce compulsive behavior.
Behavioral Explanation of ICDs
The behavioral explanation focuses on positive reinforcement, where the pleasure or relief from behaviors strengthens the tendency to repeat them.
Cognitive Explanation: Miller’s Feeling-State Theory
Miller’s theory suggests that tension triggers the recall of addictive memories, which are reinforced by the positive feelings and tension release from the behavior.
Feeling-State Theory and Vicious Circles
The positive feelings after the compulsive behavior reinforce the feeling-state, creating a cycle where negative emotions may trigger the behavior again.
Miller’s Case Study of John
Miller’s case study of John, who became addicted to gambling, showed how feelings of belonging and relief from negative emotions can reinforce compulsive behaviors.
Dopamine Gene and Gambling Disorder
51% of individuals with gambling disorder carry the A1 allele of the gene coding for dopamine receptors, compared to 25% of the general population.
Environmental Factors and Dopamine Addiction
Rats in poor environments were more likely to become addicted to morphine compared to rats in enriched environments, highlighting the role of situational factors in addiction.
Dopamine Agonists and ICDs
Dopamine agonists, used in Parkinson’s treatment, can sometimes lead to ICDs as a side effect, illustrating the link between dopamine and compulsive behaviors.
Reductionist Nature of Dopamine Explanation
The dopamine explanation is reductionist, focusing mainly on biochemistry and neglecting cognitive and social factors like stress or early-life adversity.
Psychological Explanation: Behaviorism
The behavioral explanation focuses on nurture, suggesting that behaviors like gambling can be learned and reinforced through external rewards and experiences.
Incomplete Behavioral Explanation of ICDs
The focus on positive reinforcement in the behavioral explanation may be incomplete, as the removal of tension through compulsive behavior also acts as a negative reinforcement.
Reliability of Miller’s Case Study
Miller’s case study, based on interviews, cannot be easily replicated, and the interpretation of qualitative data may be subjective, raising concerns about its reliability.
Individual vs. Situational Explanation of ICDs
The dopamine explanation focuses on individual differences in dopamine activity, though situational factors like environmental cues also play a role in triggering ICDs.
