Key Terms

Question 1

Addiction

Answer 1

A disorder in which an individual takes a substance or engages in a behaviour that is pleasurable but eventually becomes compulsive with harmful consequences.

Marked by physiological and/or psychological dependence, tolerance and withdrawal

Question 2

Physical dependence

Answer 2

A state of the body due to habitual (constant) substance abuse which results in a withdrawal syndrome when use of the drug is reduced or stopped

Question 3

Psychological dependence

Answer 3

A compulsion to continue taking a substance (or continue performing a behaviour) because its use is rewarding

Question 4

Tolerance

Answer 4

Reduction in response to a substance, so that an addicted individual needs more to get the same effect

Question 5

Behavioural tolerance

Answer 5

You grow unaware of the effect of drugs have on you e.g alcoholics walk slower to stop themselves from falling over

Question 6

Cross tolerance

Answer 6

Developing a tolerance is one type of substance (e.g alcohol) can reduce sensitivity to another type (e.g benzodiazepines)

Question 7

Withdrawal syndrome

Answer 7

A set of symptoms that develop when an addicted person abstains from or reduces their substance abuse

Question 8

Acute withdrawal phase

Answer 8

Begins within hours of abstaining and features intense cravings for the substance, reflecting strong physiological and psychological dependence. The symptoms gradually diminish, usually over days

Question 9

Prolonged withdrawal phase

Answer 9

Includes symptoms that continue for weeks, months and even years. The person becomes highly sensitive to the cues they associate with the substance (e.g lighters, rituals, locations). This is one reason why relapse is so common

Question 10

Neurochemistry

Answer 10

Relating to chemicals in the brain that regulate biological and psychological functioning

Question 11

Dopamine

Answer 11

Neurotransmitter that generally has an excitatory effect - increase the likelihood that the neuron will fire an action potential.
and is associated with the sensation of pleasure.

Unusually high levels are associated with schizophrenia and unusually low levels are associated with Parkinson’s disease

Question 12

Neurochemistry

Answer 12

Relating to chemicals in the brain that regulate biological and psychological functioning

Question 13

Cue reactivity

Answer 13

Cravings and arousal can be triggered in, for instance nicotine addicts when they encounter cues related to pleasurable effects of smoking

Question 14

Reinforcement

Answer 14

A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. Can be positive or negative

Question 15

Partial reinforcement

Answer 15

A behaviour is reinforced only some of the time it occurs (e.g every tenth time or at variable intervals)

Question 16

Variable reinforcement

Answer 16

A type of partial reinforcement in which a behaviour is reinforced after an unpredictable period of time or number of responses

Question 17

Cognitive bias

Answer 17

Distortion of attention, memory and thinking. It arises because of how we process information about the world especially when we do it quickly

Question 18

Drug therapy in addiction

Answer 18

Treatment involving drugs i.e chemicals that have a particular effect on functioning of the brain or some other body system

Question 19

Aversion therapy

Answer 19

A behavioural treatment based on classical conditioning

A maladaptive behaviour is paired with a stimulus such as a painful electric shock. Eventually the behaviour is associated without the shock being used

Question 20

Covert sensitisation

Answer 20

A form of aversion therapy based on classical conditioning

A client imagines an unpleasant stimulus and associated this with a maladaptive behaviour (in contrast with aversion therapy where the unpleasant stimulus is actually experienced