One Biological Explanation for Nicotine Addiction - DRD2 Gene Flashcards
What is the supporting evidence/strengths of the DRD2 gene as an explanation for nicotine addiction?
Noble (1994b)
Spitz (1998)
Development of treatments
What is the refuting evidence/weaknesses of the DRD2 gene as an explanation for nicotine addiction?
Singleton et al (1998)
Diathesis stress model
Nature-nurture debate
Reductionist
Why is Noble (1994b) supporting evidence of the DRD2 gene as an explanation for nicotine addiction?
Noble found that the presence of the A1 variant was higher in active smokers compared to non-smokers
(48% of nicotine addicts compared to 25% non-smokers)
Why is Spitz (1998) supporting evidence of the DRD2 gene as an explanation for nicotine addiction?
Spitz found that variant alleles of the D2 dopamine receptor gene (including the A1 variant) may play a role in nicotine addiction when studying 157 lung cancer patients compared to 126 controls who didn’t smoke
Why is the development of treatments a strength of the DRD2 gene as an explanation for nicotine addiction?
Researcher into the cause of nicotine addiction has led to the creation of treatments such as nicotine replacement therapy
Why is Singleton et al (1998) refuting evidence of the DRD2 gene as an explanation for nicotine addiction?
Singleton didn’t find an association between the A1 variant and smokers in the UK population suggesting something other than this pinpointed gene variant is responsible for smoking
Why is the diathesis-stress model a weakness of the DRD2 gene as an explanation for nicotine addiction?
A1 variant is also found in 25% of the general population who don’t have an addiction to nicotine suggesting the presence of the gene alone doesn’t cause addiction
Likely to be more adequately explained by adopting the diathesis-stress model for behaviour which asserts the interaction between diathesis (biological vulnerability) and stress (life stressors etc.)
Why is nature-nurture debate a weakness of the DRD2 gene as an explanation for nicotine addiction?
Biological explanation takes nature side of the debate as it argues that drug misuse is due to physiological changes in the brain (DRD2 gene affects levels of dopamine)
The learning approach takes the nurture side as it argues drug misuse is due to environmental factors such as reinforcement and imitation
Why is reductionism a weakness of the DRD2 gene as an explanation for nicotine addiction?
Biological explanation pinpoints a specific variant of a gene (DRD2)
Can be viewed as a reductionist approach as drug-taking is a behaviour that occurs within a social context, with other drug users or at a party
