A2: Learning social approach Flashcards
What is the role of reinforcement in addiction?
Reinforcement, both positive and negative, plays a key role in explaining why certain behaviours (healthy or unhealthy) keep happening by either rewarding the behaviour or by helping to avoid an unpleasant outcome.
What is positive reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement occurs when a behaviours’ consequence is rewarding, making the behaviour more likely to happen again.
What is negative reinforcement?
Negative reinforcement happens when avoiding an unpleasant consequence rewards a behaviour, also making it more likely to recur.
How does positive reinforcement apply to healthy behaviours?
For healthy behaviours, positive reinforcement can be the feeling of happiness after exercise, motivating the person to repeat the activity.
How does negative reinforcement apply to healthy behaviours?
Negative reinforcement in healthy behaviours could involve exercise helping to relieve feelings of guilt, encouraging regular participation in the activity.
How does positive reinforcement apply to unhealthy behaviours?
Substances like nicotine provide immediate rewards, such as activating brain chemicals that reinforce the habit.
How does negative reinforcement apply to unhealthy behaviours?
For example, smoking may alleviate withdrawal symptoms, reinforcing smoking as a way to avoid discomfort.
How can positive reinforcement encourage healthy behaviour changes?
External feedback, praise, and self-talk for reaching goals can positively reinforce behaviours like eating healthily.
How can negative reinforcement encourage healthy behaviours?
By avoiding guilt from unhealthy eating, a person is reinforced to make healthier dietary choices.
What is the role of punishment in changing behaviour?
Punishment applies an unpleasant consequence to an undesired behaviour, making it less likely to be repeated, such as reprimanding a child for eating unhealthily.
How does classical conditioning relate to addiction?
In addiction, the conditioned stimulus (also called a conditioned cue) can trigger addictive behaviour as the conditioned response.
Give an example of a conditioned cue in smoking addiction
A lighter can act as a conditioned cue for smoking, as seeing it may trigger the urge to smoke.
