Bio Explanation 1 Dopamine Evaluation

Question 1

Issue 1- methodological issues

Nutt et Al

Answer 1

Small samples - can’t generalise

They are given substances in a different for e.g. nicotine patch not a cigarette. Therefore it is not measuring the true effect of what they want.

They are lab experiments - lack ecological validity

Question 2

Issue 2- use of non human animals

Answer 2

+ Allows us to research effects of drugs in ways that are not possible with humans

• Unethical

It also cannot be generalised to humans because:

• Animals and humans have different brain structures
• Ignores social context
• Can’t replicate behaviour addictions

Question 3

Supporting evidence - Wang et al 1999

Answer 3

Addicts show an increase in activity in their frontal cortex when exposed to cocaine or cues associated with it.

This supports maintaining the addiction because the frontal cortex is changed.

• Only looked at cocaine so cannot be generalised to other addictions.

Question 4

Contradictory evidence- Bell (2013)

Answer 4

Refers to dopamine as the “Kim Kardashian of neurotransmitters” suggesting it has become fashionable to blame dopamine for a range of problems.

However the brain system is way more complicated than the media present

This is contradictory because it says that the explanation is reductionist as it is more complicated than it just being dopamine.

• It’s just a theory, there is no evidence to back it up