Evaluate the effect of recreational drugs on the transmission process in the CNS (8 marks)

Question 1

STRENGTHS

Answer 1

• Recreational drugs can be used for treatments of addiction.
• Morgan et al (2003) said that recreational drugs can have such benefits such as pain and reducing side effects of cannabis for medical conditions
• This provides a valuable contribution to research but addressing social issues with benefits for individuals

Question 2

STRENGTHS

Answer 2

• Rats and humans share the same brain structure, therefore we are able to generalise the fundings
• Alexander (1980) studied the effects of drugs in addiction, drugs do not cause addiction
• Lab rats became addicted to the drugs due to environment and not biology

Question 3

STRENGTHS

Answer 3

• Olds and Milner (1954) studied rats and connected the wires to their brain so trigger the pleasure centre of the brain. The rats could give their brains a pleasurable electric shock by pressing a lever. They noticed the rats would return to the lever over and over, ignoring other resources of pleasure like food or rats of the opposite sex.
• They behaved rather like drug addicts

Question 4

WEAKNESSES

Answer 4

• Ignores social factors that may influence why we carry on taking the drugs.
  → social influences and personal stress are equally influencing in explaining the addiction.
  → Alexander (1980) discovered the lab rats became addicted to the drugs due to environment and not biology.
  Therefore this shows the impact of environmental factors of drugs and that biology is not always the main cause.