Risk Factor - Personality Flashcards

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1
Q

Outline Personality as a risk factor (2 points)

A
  • Attempts to explain why some become addicted and others don’t, despite having the same experience
  • Eysenck’s (1967) theory suggests a correlation between certain traits and addiction along 3 super traits that explain addictive behaviours
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2
Q

Outline Extraversion as suggested by Eysenck (2 points)

A
  • Extraverts are chronically under-aroused and as such engage in addictive behaviours to gain stimulation to raise arousal
  • If an extravert has an insensitive Reticular Activating System, they will seek more stimulating activities - E.G. drug use to reach an optimal level of arousal
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3
Q

Outline Neuroticism as suggested by Eysenck (2 points)

A
  • People with high neuroticism experience negative affect (E.G. anxiety) and may engage in addictive behaviours to alleviate tension through a form of self-medication
  • Eysenck claimed that if you have a highly reactive limbic system, you are more likely to get addicted
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4
Q

Outline Psychoticism as suggested by Eysenck (2 points)

A
  • It’s believed individuals with high psychoticism are more susceptible to addictions as they help manage it
  • Addictive behaviours raise dopamine levels, and this personality trait may demand this is done
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5
Q

(Weakness) Outline Teeson’s (2002) study (1 point)

A
  • Found that personality research is largely correlational, and although there are common traits, they don’t necessarily predict addictive behaviours
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6
Q

(Strength) Outline Cao and Su’s (2006) study (2 points)

A
  • Volunteer sample of 2620 highschool kids that completed several surveys for personality and internet usage
  • Found 64 had an internet addiction = 2.4% and this group had had significantly higher scores of neuroticism and psychoticism
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7
Q

(Strength) Outline Verheul et al’s (1995) study (3 points)

A
  • Reviewed the relationships between personality disorders and addiction
  • Percentage of personality orders in addicts = 44% in alcholics, 70% in cocaine addicts and 79% in opiate addicts
  • Were even more common for polydrug users
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8
Q

(Weakness) Describe how some personality factors make you less vulnerable to addiction (2 points)

A
  • Those with high levels of resilience and/or hardiness can often help guard against involvement with addictions
  • Hence, personality as a risk factor for addiction is an oversimplification of this factor
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