addiction Flashcards
what’s addiction
- disorder when consuming substance (nicotine) OR engages in particular behaviour ( gambling)
- pleasurable but become compulsive + has harmful consequences
what’s psychological dependence ?
- mental + emotional compulsion to keep taking a substance, believe can’t cope w work + social w/o drug (may inc pleasure or lesson discomfort)
- absence of drug causes anxiety or irritable -> leads to craving
physical dependence ?
- stage of body occurs when withdrawal symptoms is produced from stopping substance use/behaviour (nausea, headaches ,shaking)
what’s a risk factor?
- anything internal or external incr likelihood of individual starting drugs or engage in addictive behaviour
genetic vunerability intro(addiction)
- may inherit a predispo that inc risk of disorder can explain y some individual become dependent + some don’t
- interaction between genes and environment factors won’t be addicted until exposed
what are the 2 reasons genetic vulnerability can occur
D2 receptor
- lots of receptors that commun w receptors
D2 communicating w dopamine .no determined by genetics - having less leads to problem w experiencing pleasure chocolate—-> nicotine for same feeling
Metabolism
- some metabolise addictive sub faster than others ; easier to be addicted - may need more for same affects inherited thru genes
- plannezza found lack of working enzyme which metablises nicotine ,less likely to be addicted compared to working
genetic vulnerability ao3
RTS-kendler et al (used data from national Swedish adoption study)
- looked adults adopted as kids, from bio family where 1 had addiction
- these kids had sig greater risk of developing addiction compared to adopted kids w no addicted parent in bio fam….givves validity
research based on correlational link–>cause + effect can’t be established
- reseacrh shows link w genetics + addiction but don’t show which came first e.g could be addiction cause abnormalities in D2 receptors
- lack internal val,doesnt conclude
AO1 for stress as a risk factor of addiction
- stress = indiv exper state of arousal, occurs when believe dont have ability to cope w percieved threat
- ppl who exper stress may turn to addictive substances or beh as form as self-medication for stress
- periods of chronic, LongLast stress in traumatic life events linked 2 incr addiction
Anderson+Teicher found - early exper stress hv damaging effects on young brain in sensitive period of development, vuln to stress later
- further stress could trigger vuln
stress ao3
- research based on correlational research - use + effect can’t be established
- research shows link w stress+ addiction but not eco came first.
- eg addiction cause indiv be stressed rather than stress causing addiction
- lacks internal val can’t conclude
ao1 for personality (addiction )
pshyclogist proposed Link w certain traits + addiction
- antisocial personality lead to high vun to addiction-can inc neurotic + pshyotic personality traits
- high lvl of neuroticism=high lvl of anxiety,irritablility,low self efficacy
- high lvl of psychoticicm =aggressive compulsive , emotionally detached ppl who have these more likely to be addicts as beh/sub offers relief
ao3 for personality (addiction)
RTS eysenck + gossop
- assesed personaliity of 221 drug addicts + 310 non addict using questionnaire
- found evidence of high psychotism + neuroticism scores in addicts compared to non addict
- supports as gives validity
CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH-dont show which came first paragraph
dopamine reward pathway (nicotine) AO1
- inhale nic thru cig , activates nicotine actylcholine rec in Ventral tegmental area
( >10s) - dop released from VTA down mesolimbic pathway to D2 receptors on nucleus accumbens for euphoria
- dopamine hits NAc trigger release more dop from NAc down mesocortical pathway to pre frontal cortex(decision making)
*person makes decision to smoke again for same feeling
AO3 for neurochemistry on addiction
biological reductionism
- reduces complex human beh of Nic addiction to dop lvl in brain
- neglects holistic approach, takes account of ppl social +culutral context explaining Nic addiction– might wanna fit in
- may lack validity
RTS by Mc Evoy
- studied ppl w smoking beh in ppl w sz who were takin a drug (dopamine antagonist), block rec lower dop lvls
- found w drug signif incr in smoking
- therefore support role of dop as expl for addiction to nicotine, as patients sought nico to incr their dop lvls + feel euphoria
Practical applications
- principles, nicot addiction caused by high lvls of dop + activation of brain reward pathway led to treatment of nicot replac therapy
- effective reduc nic addic, by providing nic in less harmful form, reduc dosage overtime, reduc indiv tolerance
- therefore expl import part of applied psychology
partial reinforcement
behaviour reinforced for only some time
*if person rewarded everytime bored ; partial reinforcement
*enables person to gain addiction due to reinforcements being limited to only some of the time,and not consistently ; making gambling more exciting as indiv is unsure when win next time,so behaviour isnt extinguished even when behaviour stopped
cognitive theory into gambling
result of cog distortions and/or faulty thought processes.
· Cog bias -person’s thinking, memory and attentional processes are faulty lead person to make irrational judgements +poor decisions.
judgement –overestimate amount of control they have over outcome
Personal traits or rituals –believe more likely to win bc they are lucky or due to superstition
Selective recall – more likely to recall certain events better than other
Faulty perceptions – gamblers have distorted views about chance (gamblers fallacy) believe losing streaks can end
