smoking and biological approach

Question 1

what may contribute to rewarding/addictive qualities

Answer 1

increased dopamine

Question 2

genetic predisposition (initiation)

Answer 2

• genes may be a risk factor for addiction
• carmelli et al found that genetic influences contributes to about 53% to the risk of taking up smoking

Question 3

role of dopamine (maintenance and relapse)

Answer 3

• smokers continue to smoke because nicotine molecules continue to attach to receptors
• the pleasure from the dopamine release rewards the smoking behaviour

Question 4

nicotine regulation (maintenance and relapse)

Answer 4

• the nicotine regulation model (schnachter, 1977) argues that people continue smoking to regulate nicotine in their bloodstream, aka avoiding withdrawal symptoms

Question 5

withdrawal symptoms (maintenance and relapse)

Answer 5

• smokers avoid withdrawal symptoms by smoking again at the earliest signs which brings their blood nicotine levels back up

Question 6

tolerance (maintenance and relapse)

Answer 6

• the constant stimulation of dopamine receptors reduced their sensitivity, meaning the person has to smoke more in order to stimulate receptors to previous levels

Question 7

vink et al (2005)

Answer 7

• wanted to see if genetic risk factors contribute separately to smoking initiation and nicotine independence
• concluded that genetic factors make up a substantial contribution to both the initiation of smoking and ongoing nicotine dependence

Question 8

strength of approach

Answer 8

• evidence for the regulation of the theory
• the validity of the theory was supported because the finding matched a prediction of the theory

Question 9

weakness of approach

Answer 9

• the evidence that not everyone regulates their nicotine levels
• the finding is hard for the regulation theory to explain because it suggests some people smoke for non-biological reasons