Article 7: A motivation model of sex addiction – Relevance to the controversy over the concept

Question 1

2 Processes underlying motivation

Answer 1

Stimulus based: fast, automatic, causation of behaviour can occur outside of conscious control

Goal based: slow, intentional, goal-directed, involves full conscious control and insight

Question 2

Incentive motivation model

Answer 2

Motivation is triggered by:

• Particular incentives in the external world
• Cues associated with such incentives
• Internal representations of these incentives in memory

Question 3

Response bias in addiction

Answer 3

Tendency for addicted people to show a bias of approach towards the target of their addiction.

Question 4

Arousal and control

Answer 4

With high arousal, behaviour becomes more stimulus based and impulsive, restraints from conscious cognitive control carry less weight.

Question 5

Fantasy and sex addiction

Answer 5

Repeated fantasy can strengthen the tendency to enact it in behaviour.

Question 6

Regulatory function of addiction

Answer 6

Sexually addictive behaviour, as with drug addiction, serves as a regulatory function, a form of homeostasis.
Normally social interactions serve this function but in addicted individuals the addiction serves as a substitute.

Question 7

Supernormal stimuli

Answer 7

Feature of our present sexual environment. Basically covers porn and such

Question 8

Criteria for sex addiction

Answer 8

1. Is there evidence of suffering for the individual or family members
2. Does individual seek help
3. Is wanting out of proportion to liking
4. Is reactivity of dopaminergic pathway high in the context of sexual incentives compared to other incentives.
5. Is there withdrawal
6. Is there escalation
7. Does a shift towards increased weight of automaticity involving the dorsal striatum occur.