Genetic Vulnerability Flashcards
Strength: RTS Kendler et al
Used data from national Swedish adoption study, looked at adults who had been adopted as children from biological families in which at least one person had an addiction, these children later had significantly greater risk of developing addiction, compared to adopted individuals with no addicted parent in the biological families, shows inheritance of genes can predispose to addiction, inc IV
Weakness: research into GV is based on correlational research
Where cause and effect can’t be established, research shows link between risk factors such as genes, and addiction, doesn’t show which comes first, could be that addiction causes abnormalities in D2 receptors, research lacks internal Val, doesn’t allow us to conclude that genetic factors increase risk to addiction
Strength: practical applications
Principle that addiction caused by having fewer D2 receptors or a faster metabolism makes someone more at risk of addiction can be used for prevention strategies, such as identifying those with genetic vulnerability who may be at risk of addiction, could be used to develop individualised intervention programmes, important part of applied psych
