Risk factors Flashcards
What makes one person more likely to become addicted than another?
Vunerability
What are the 4 factors that can increase addiction?
Age
Personality
Peers
Stress
Stress: what is stress split up into?
everyday stress
traumatic stress
Stress: what is everyday stress?
people report that drink, smoke, drugs and gamble as a means of coping with daily hassles. These stressors may contribute to the initiation and continuation of addictions
Stress: what is traumatic stress?
people who are exposed to severe stress are more vulnerable to addictions.
Stress: What are the 3 evaluation points of stress?
individual differences
bad science
does smoking decrease stress?
Stress:
evaluation
What is the individual differences evaluation for stress?
stress may cause vulnerability in some but not all people. For example, there are 2 types of alcoholics, one drinks to relieve tension and the other boredom but only one become addicted. Showing a vulnerability in some.
Stress:
evaluation
What is the bad science evaluation point of stress?
Research has found that gambling has its benefits as it reduces cortisol levels because gamblers are so wrapped up in the game they forget about external influences and stresses. However, this research is unreliable as the original source cannot be identified, reducing it’s validity and reliability.
Stress:
evaluation
explain the does smoking decrease stress evaluation point
Smoking actually increases stress levels, but the addiction itself doesn’t have the desired effect. It can be argued that the action of taking another cigarette is stress reducing.
Peers:
What are the 2 sections in peer factor?
Social learning theory
Social identity theory
Peers:
What is social learning theory?
Behaviours are learned through observation of others and hence model this behaviour.
Peers:
What is social identity theory?
Group members adopt these norms and behaviours that are central to the social identity of the group.
Peers:
Evaluation
What is the evaluation of social learning theory?
Research supports that exposure to peer models increases the likelihood that teenagers will begin smoking. There is also research that perceived rewards are important in adolescents beginning smoking.
Peers:
Evaluation
What is the evaluation for social indentity theory?
There is evidence to support the claim that adolscents are motivated to begin smoking because of the stereotypes they hold of crowds. Little is known about the extent to which these groups influence their members. Nor do we know the extent these norms affect peoples behaviour when it concerns the lifestyle of the individual.
how does age have an impact on addiction?
social crowd has an impact on addictive behaviour on young adolescents with best friends and romantic partners having a bigger impact in later yeats
Why is the concept of an ‘addictive personality’ an appealing one?
it explains why some people become addicted while others don’t.
Personality:
What are the 2 theorys of personality impacting addictive behaviour?
Neuroticism and psychoticism
Tri-dimensional theory of addictive behaviour
Personality:
Neuroticism and psychoticism
What does this theory state?
We have a biologically bases theory of personality based on 3 dimensions.
Personality:
Neuroticism and psychoticism
What are the 3 dimensions this theory is based on?
Extraversion-introversion
Neurotisism
Psychoticism
Personality:
Neuroticism and psychoticism
What is extraversion-introversion?
Extraversts are under aroused and become bored easily, they seek external stimulation to become aroused.
Personality:
Neuroticism and psychoticism
What is neuroticism?
People high in neurotisicism experience negative affects e.g. depression.
Personality:
Neuroticism and psychoticism
What is psychoticism?
Related to hostility and impulsivity.
Personality:
Tri-dimensional theory:
What is the main assumption of this theory?
there are 3 personality traits which predispose individuals towards substance dependence
Personality:
Tri-dimensional theory:
What are the 3 predisposed characteristics those with addictive behaviour show?
Novelty seeking
Harm avoidance
Reward dependence
Personality:
Tri-dimensional theory:
what is a novelty seeking personality?
Someone who tries to engage in new experiences
Personality:
Tri-dimensional theory:
What is a harm avoidance personality?
Someone who is pessimistic and worries a lot
Personality:
Tri-dimensional theory:
what is a reward dependent personality?
The extent an indivudal learns from rewards and repeats behaviour that has been rewarded.
Personality
Evaluation
What is the problem with causality in these research?
Most of the research is correlational only, there is no causal relationship.
If there was a causal relationship, which came first the addiction or the personality is hard to differentiate.
Personality
Evaluation
Research has found that personality comes first and hence is a factor in the cause of addictive behaviour
Rats were found to be sensation seekers and were ableto self-adminster doses of cocaine. These rats started to take large doses.
A second group were impulsive and started with lower slowly increasing-these were more likely to become addicted.
Personality
Evaluation
What is the research for it is impulsiveness that causes addiction?
Humans suffering from parkinsons disease ar treated with drugs that increase dopamine levels. A side effect appears to be impulse-controlled disorders e.g gambling. Showing that high levels of dopamine lead to impulsiveness that causes addiction.
Personality
Evaluation
What is the evaluation point for the dopamine system playing a part in addiction
Addictions may simply be more rewarding for some people because of their hypersensitive dopamine system. A heightened response to an anticipated reward could make an individual less fearful about the consequences of their behaviour.
What is the general evaluation point of ethics?
Research may reveal incriminating information e.g. interviewing a drug addict and finding them using illegal drugs. Researchers must weigh up the potential beneifts vs the potential risks.
