Psychological Theories

Question 1

cognitive biases definition and list 3

Answer 1

selective information processing, mental heuristics/shortcuts that aren’t always helpful
- outcome expectancies
- self-efficacy
- cue reactivity

Question 2

outcome expectancies

Answer 2

favor drug use and downplay negative effects
- “I’ll have an easier time socializing if I get drunk”

Question 3

self-efficacy

Answer 3

“I can stop whenever I want”

Question 4

cue reactivity

Answer 4

drug-related cues induce powerful effects
- ex: hearing sounds at casino -> gambling (cha-ching noise)
- ex: only using drugs with certain people

Question 5

cognitive model of drug urges and drug use beh

Answer 5

drug use becomes automatic (fast, outside of conscious awareness, lacking control, effortless bc it’s cognitively undemanding)

craving = result of non-automatic interruption of automatized drug use action plans
- “I have no idea why I didn’t stop, I wasn’t thinking”

Question 6

prime theory (maybe monkeys never identify ur mom)

Answer 6

organizes components of motivational system into 5 themes:
1) structure of motivation system: responses > impulses > inhib forces > motives > evals > plans
2) focus on the moment
3) neural plasticity
4) identity: perceptions of ourselves affect beh
5) unstable mind: behavior interacts and fluctuates in response to moment-to-moment changes

Question 7

prime: how to treat

Answer 7

addiction spreads through each of the 5 interconnected area of the motivational system; treatment must target all affected areas

Question 7

prime: chaos theory

Answer 7

processes may appear completely random, but abide by underlying patterns and laws, highly sensitive to conditions and changes

Question 8

dot probe test

Answer 8

• participants respond faster to a stimulus (dot) if it is presented to part of display they are looking at
• if attention drawn to drug-related words, faster to detect dots appearing where that word was

Question 9

heyman: hyperbolic discounting

Answer 9

increased delay discounting (want small reward), exacerbated by addictive process
- in addiction, many struggle to wait and instead use immediately to feel pleasure

Question 10

delay discounting

Answer 10

human tendency to prefer smaller but more immediate rewards over delayed, larger rewards

Question 11

affective processing model

Answer 11

drugs are taken to alleviate negative affect = negative reinforcement
- ex: taking drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms

Question 12

positive reinforcement (give example)

Answer 12

add something pleasant
- “wow im high, i feel great!”

Question 13

positive punishment (give example)

Answer 13

add something unpleasant
- “I don’t drink alcohol because it makes me vomit”

Question 14

negative reinforcement (give example)

Answer 14

take away something unpleasant
- “wow this drug temporarily alleviates my depression”

Question 15

negative punishment

Answer 15

take away something unpleasant
- “I’d lose my job if I showed up high/drunk”

Question 16

stroop task and haloperidol

Answer 16

• neutral control words and drug-related words, all in diff colors
• click correct color button without thinking about word written
• ppl w/ addiction are slower, harder time blocking out drug-related words

haloperidol: a dopamine antagonist –> decreases reactivity to drug cues, so faster at stroop task

Question 17

excessive appetite model of addiction

Answer 17

• all appetitive behs occur on normal curve, most do sometimes, a few are on extremes
• behs restricted by constraints: health consequences, religion, family norms, finances, gov. policies