individual differences

Question 1

what individual differences can affect drug taking?

Answer 1

• the extent of their drug use (heavy drinkers are more sensitive to cues than light drinkers),
• gender (women are more cue-sensitive than men)
• personality (some people are more sensitive to the rewards provided by drugs)

Question 2

shiffman

Answer 2

• studied ‘chippers’, people who smoke regularly (5 cigs a day) but do not become dependent on nicotine- they show no sign of withdrawal symptoms when they stop smoking
• this suggests there must be other factors involved in addiction (genes, environment) as the mode of action explanation cannot explain this

research confirms that the same drug can affect individuals in diff ways

Question 3

marsh and miller

Answer 3

• extraverted personalities are often associated with alcohol consumption and smoking, though smoking to a lesser extent
• Marsh and Miller (1997) looked at extraversion as a predictor of alcohol use, and binge drinking
• they suggest regular drinkers are more extrovert than light or non-drinkers, but alcoholics are more introverted than social drinkers

Question 4

sensation seeking personalities

Answer 4

• Some individuals have a preference for engaging in risk-taking behaviour such as extreme sport/ drug taking - Its a personality trait
• Zuckerman (1979) found a high correlation with this trait and drug users
• Explains why people begin to use drugs, search for new experiences, but can’t explain continued use as it is no longer new/ has a risk sensation
• Continued use can be explained by biological and learning explanations

Question 5

what did zuckerman find?

Answer 5

found a high correlation between sensation seeking personality and drug users