B3: Behavioural Addiction Flashcards
Gambling: Cognitive Approach- Expectancy Theory
INITIATION
1.Cost benefit analysis- individual will weigh up the costs and benefits of gambling. If the benefits outweighs the costs they will start to gamble.
Gambling: Cognitive Approach- Expectancy Theory
MAINTENANCE
1.Irrational thoughts- gamblers thinking around probability/ chance and luck does not make sense.
2.Cognitive biases; errors in thinking when processing information.
Recall bias: forget what they have lost and remember what they have won.
Near miss: claim it was a near miss when it was a blatant loss.
3.Illusions of control- gambler overestimates their ability to control the situation/event , thinks they can influence or control the outcome; belief in superstitions.
4.Exaggeration of ability- gambler is overconfident in their ability to beat the machine, carry on gambling as they believe they can control the outcome due to their skill and will eventually win.
Gambling: Cognitive Approach- Expectancy Theory
RELAPSE
- Recall bias and overestimation of success- a gambler who quits is vulnerable, they remember the wins but not the losses and underestimate the costs of gambling. Gambler’s fallacy can lead to relapse, believe that things (money) will even out over time.
Gambling: Cognitive Approach- Expectancy Theory
A03 Evaluation
Strength- RTS; regular gamblers produce more irrational explanations of how they won and overestimate their skill more than non regular gamblers.
Practical application; use CBT, help changing irrational thoughts and cognitive biases into more rational ones.
Weakness- Gender bias; men gamble for pleasure and women gamble because they are stressed, men are more likely to become problem gamblers.
Too reductionist; only looks at irrational thoughts and feelings and ignores the person’s social circumstances.
Gambling: Learning Approach
INITIATION
- Classical conditioning: association between gambling and pleasure/excitement
Gambler forms an association between gambling and pleasure/ excitement which strengthens the behaviour.
Gambling: Learning Approach
MAINTENANCE
1.Variable reinforcement which strengthens the gambling behaviour due to variable success- the gambler has no way of knowing when they will win next, so they continue to gamble in the hope that next time they will win, which strengthens their behaviour.
Gambling: Learning Approach
RELAPSE
- Cue reactivity and conditioned cues- experienced gamblers come across stimuli in the environment- queues that are associated with physiological and emotional arousal which remind them of the pleasures of gambling so they start to gamble again, increasing the likelihood of relapse.
Gambling: Learning Approach
A03 Evaluation
Strength- RTS; gamblers place, bets on horse race, two minutes before the start to prolong the excitement.
RWA; positive reinforcement and association encourage gambling on an everyday basis.
Weakness- Ignores individual differences; some people are more likely to become gamblers than others, even though we are all exposed to the same cues.
Cannot be generalised to all types of gambling; some types of gambling e.g, poker require a large amount of thinking and decision-making.
Shopping- Learning Approach
INITIATION
- Role models and VR- observes a role model addicted to shopping enjoy shopping, and imitate their behaviour through VR; imitation is even more likely if they identify with the role model.
2.Role of celebrity and advertisements- observes a celebrity role model, showing shopping as a positive experience (smiling,happy,excited) , imitate their behaviour through VR; imitation is even more likely if they identity with the role model.
Shopping- Learning Approach
MAINTENANCE
- Classical conditioning- and an association between with pleasure and excitement.
2.Adrenaline rush and rewards- experience this when they shop, dopamine reward system is activated which motivates them to continue.
3.Positive reinforcement- pleasurable reward such as shopping together etc, makes them want to repeat the shopping behaviour so they continue to shop.
Shopping- Learning Approach
RELAPSE
1.Cues from advertisements- a shopper who has quit is vulnerable, cues (advertisements) trigger arousal, which the shopper craves so they start to shop again.
- NR- relief from withdrawal symptoms; removal or escape from an unpleasant stimulus, the withdraw symptoms e.g. bored, lonely, anxious, stressed. Shop again to get relief of these symptoms.
Shopping- Learning Approach
A03 Evaluation
Strengths- RTS; shoppers attitudes are more positive towards products advertised by celebs.
Gender differences; men shop for hardware items and electronics where as women shop for clothes- supports positive reinforcement of gender roles in society.
Weakness- Ignores individual differences; does not explain why some people are more likely to have a shopping addiction than others even though we are all exposed to the same cues and role models.
Shopping- Cognitive Approach; Self Medication Model
INITIATION
- Relief from boredom (easily accessed activity)
- For excitement
- Relief from psychological problems (such as distress and low self esteem)
Shopping- Cognitive Approach; Self Medication Model
MAINTENANCE
- Reduce the anxiety associated with spending money- a shopping addict spends a lot of money resulting in financial problems and debt. This leads to anxiety such as hiding bank statements etc so they continue to shop to reduce this anxiety they have associated with spending money = vicious cycle.
- Continue to be bored/ relief from anxiety- believe shopping provides excitement and relieves their anxiety so they continue to shop, BUT shopping is actually causing more anxiety (debt, keeping secrets) BUT they still continue to shop to relieve this anxiety.
Shopping- Cognitive Approach; Self Medication Model
RELAPSE
- Withdrawal symptoms- cause a lack of excitement, boredom and anxiety due to financial issues; a shopping addict who decides to stop is vulnerable, they experience withdrawal symptoms and their anxiety increases due to financial worries so they start to shop again.
- Coping strategies have broken down- a lot of the time the underlying problem causing them to become a shopping addict (boredom, distress, lack of self esteem) has not been dealt with. Their coping strategies break down and they start to shop again.
