addiction

Question 1

define addiction

Answer 1

a hard to define term that refers to a need to engage in a behaviour despite that behaviour having negative consequences for the person

Question 2

define walters suggested 4 key aspect to addiction

Answer 2

PROGRESSION- to a higher tolerance and greater risk of withdrawal
PREOCCUPATION- cannot stop thinking about the behaviour
PERCEIVED-a loss of control over the behaviour
PERSISTANCE- continuing to indulge despite the negative consequences

Question 3

define dependence

Answer 3

the inability to refrain from a behaviour

Question 4

what are the factors of addiction

Answer 4

psychological and physiological dependence
withdrawal syndrome
tolerance

Question 5

describe physiological dependence

Answer 5

the physical need to engage in the behaviour. failure to engage results in physical effects

Question 6

describe psychological dependence

Answer 6

the physiological need to engage in a behaviour. failure to engage results in psychological (mental) effects

Question 7

what is the diagnosis for substance dependence

Answer 7

two indicators needs to be present for 12 months

Question 8

describe withdrawal

Answer 8

the reaction physically and psychologically of an individual when they no longer have a substance in their system

occurs when an individual has not been taking a drug and when it is no longer in their system they start to experience unpleasant feelings and symptoms

when the substance levels fall below tolerance the brain seeks the substance in order to restore balance

physical symptom’s include feeling nauseous , achy tremors

Question 9

withdrawal syndrome research

Answer 9

marks - alcoholics were found to have a higher nicotine dependence as they smoked more heavily . they therefore may experience a greater discomfort from nicotine withdrawal from trying to give up smoking

Question 10

describe tolerance

Answer 10

the need to take higher levels of a substance to get the same physical and psychological effects

Question 11

tolerance research

Answer 11

grabus found evidence of tolerance in mice - over time the mice became tolerant to the drug ( nicotine) requiring a higher level to induce similar response

Question 12

name the risk factors

Answer 12

generic vulnerability 
stress
peers
family 
personality

Question 13

describe genetic vulnerability as a risk factor

Answer 13

it is thought that there may be a genetic influence on the development of addiction. however there is no single addiction gene and genetics cannot be separated from the environment . there is no way the individual can become addicted if they are not exposed to the substance or the opportunity within their environment , this means that genetic vulnerability should be seen as an interaction .

family , twin studies and adoption have been used to pick up a heritability components to addiction for example it has been found that there is a greater concordance rates between MZ twins than DZ twins for a number of forms of addiction

our genes can effect our likelihood of becoming addicted because they effect the way our body responds to a drug, we can be more susceptible to its positive or negative effects

Question 14

research for genetic vulnerability

Answer 14

kendler- found that the alcohol rates for alcohol abuse was higher in MZ twins than in DZ twins . a sample of 9000 twin pairs gained from the Swedish twin registry was used. the data was collected over a 40 year period and the heritability figure remained constant over that time suggesting a genetic component to addiction

a dopamine receptor gene called DRD2 has a variation that is more common in people addicted to nicotine , alcohol and cocaine than in non addicted people . this suggests that some genes give a more genetic vulnerability to addiction

Question 15

evaluations of genetic vulnerability

Answer 15

• much of the research has been carried on mice and there is only a small amount on human genetic effects . it may be over simplified to extrapolate these findings to humans
• no concordance rates in twin studies have ever shown 100% concordance , so there is a genetic predisposition but this does not mean a genetic cause
• it is suggested that MZ twins may be treated more similarly by their parents than DZ twins . therefore concordance rates could be due to upbringing rather than genetic vulnerability
• the explanation is reductionist , the role of the environment is important, there are many factors that could contribute to the predisposition to addiction such as exposure , availability , stress, family and friends

Question 16

describe peer influence as a risk factor

Answer 16

social influence is often viewed as the psychological explanation for initiation to addictive behaviours , and therefore , the influence of peers is potentially great . throughout our lives peers provide an enormous pressure for us to conform and fit in. if the group we are associating with engage in addictive behaviours , such as smoking , we are likely to feel obliged to do the same . this can be explained by social identity theory. this theory assumes that the reward for engaging in the behaviour is acceptance and popularity within the group , essentially you are conforming to the group identity

it also needs to be considered however that addiction could cause the choice of peer group that allow the individual easier access to the substance, or a peer group that is less judgemental

peer groups are seen as particularly relevant when an intervention to the addiction Is happening as they can cause a risk of relapse or provide access to the addiction

Question 17

peer influence research on addiction

Answer 17

Kobus- found through literature review that the effect of peer influence on smoking was more subtle than initially thought and that the family media and neighbourhood were also involved. they agreed that peers are influenced in encouraging or deterring smoking but more work needed to be done into the psychological processes behind addiction

leshner- advocates treatment strategies tha include social context elements , such as peer groups, as well as biological and behavioural elements if they are going to be successful . this is because recovering addicts may relapse if they return to the initial social context, suggesting that peer influence could be a risk factor

Question 18

evaluations of peer influence

Answer 18

peer influence is unlikely to be present for all addictions , especially those that the person is trying to hide eg sex addiction
peer influences are just one part of an individuals social context . other influences could come from family, social deprivation or economic status , vulnerability to dependency is likely to be a combination of things
- it is difficult to measure the level of influence from peers because it is difficult to separate from other social influences
-the influence of peers in unlikely to be different at different ages. peer influence during adolescence so substance abuse in young adults is more likely to be influenced by peers to a greater extent than other such as parents

Question 19

describe personality as a risk factor

Answer 19

factor a feature of becoming and addict is whether or not there exists a set of personality traits that make you more likely to become an addict , it is difficult to establish the cause and effect when considering addiction and personality

it has been suggested that people with a pathological personality are more likely to form an addiction because the initial use of the drug or the behaviour offers them relief - pathological personality means a negative persona who is more likely to become stressed and find situations difficult

people with high neuroticism , high psychoticism and a high extrovert are more predisposed to addiction

cloninger has suggested other traits in the tri dimensional theory of addictive behaviour , here predisposition to addiction caused by noelty seeking , harm avoidance and reward dependence

Question 20

describe the research for personality

Answer 20

howard- conducted a meta analysis investigating the tri dimensional theory. they found that novelty seeking does predict alcohol abuse in teenagers and young adults. however harm avoidance and rewarding dependence do not seem as clearly linked to addictive behaviours

wan sen yan - found a relationship between personality characteristics and addiction. they found that high levels of neuroticism and psychoticism alongside low levels extroversion were linked to internet addiction , low levels of extroversion contradicts eysencks theory and also cloginers theory that high novelty seeking is a risk factor for addiction

Question 21

evaluations for personality as a risk factor

Answer 21

• the possession of certain traits does not automatically mean that addiction will occur , there are lots of other factors that can contribute to the formation of an addiction
• evidence suggests that there are personality traits that increases the likelihood of becoming an addict . suggesting that there is an inherited addictive personality seems more likely
• it is difficult to establish cause and effect when considering personality and addiction. it remains difficult to conclusively sat that certain personality traits cause addiction and not vice versa

Question 22

describe initiation

Answer 22

refers to the process where individuals start to become addicted

Question 23

describe maintenance

Answer 23

is the process whereby people continue to behave addictively even in the face of adverse consequences

Question 24

describe relapse

Answer 24

the process whereby individuals who have managed to give up their addictive habits to show signs and symptom’s of the behaviour

Question 25

the biological explanations of gambling - biological models are sometimes referred to as diseases models , they share the following assumptions

Answer 25

- addiction is a specific diagnosis - addiction is an illness - the problem lies within the individual - the addiction is irreversible - there is an emphasis on treatment - a person would be most susceptible to addiction during the initiation phase because they have a predisposed biological vulnerability - biological predispositions are much less likely to have an effect during the maintenance of the addictions - a biological predisposition would make them more susceptible to relapse

Question 26

what three factors are part of the biological explanation for addiction

Answer 26

physical dependence theory genetics neurotransmitters

Question 27

describe the physical dependence theory

Answer 27

suggests that people became addicted because doing without the item or behaviour to which they are addicted is so unpleasant . an important concept associated with physical dependence theory is tolerance , as a person continues to smoke they become more tolerant , and needs to engage in the activity more to maintain the pleasure feeling it gives . stopping the activity may result in side effects of withdrawal. withdrawal is is where a person stops engaging in the activity and experiences a range of unpleasant physical symptoms and may include shaking, sweating and other aches and pains . the process of detoxification frequently takes place in a rebab.

Question 28

describe genetics and why its part of the biological explanation for addiction

Answer 28

family studies of alcohol addiction have shown high rates amongst relatives merikangas et al found that 36% of the relatives of the individual with an alcohol disorder has also had been diagnosed with an alcohol disorder. while there are. while there are several studies showing similar results , it is impossible to separate out the effects of genetics and environmental influences, however some adoption studies also lend support to the idea of a genetic contribution to addiction. kendler et al suggest that heritability of nicotine dependence has been estimated at between 60-70%

Question 29

describe neurotransmitter and why its part of the biological explanation for addiction

Answer 29

a neurotransmitter is a chemical that move sin the gaps between the nerve cells aka the synapse, to transmit messages . if the chemical is blocked or replaced , then there is an effect on the physiological systems and also on cognition, mood and behaviour

Question 30

describe the biological explanations of smoking behaviour - initiation

Answer 30

there is evidence that the person takes up smoking in the first place may well be something to do with there genetics for example lerman et al have shown that people with a particular gene are less likely to take up smoking than those without it , the gene SLC6A3-9 works in the dopamine system

Question 31

describe the biological explanations of smoking behaviour - maintenance

Answer 31

whatever the reason for starting smoking , the reason for continuing the behaviour, according the biological model is chemical addition . quite why smokers addicted can be explained in this model by the role nicotine plays. there is clear evidence that the nicotine within tobacco is an extremely addictive drug producing significant change sin how our brain functions

Question 32

describe the nicotine regulation model

Answer 32

shachter- asserts that the physical dependence theory is relevant to smokers , in the nicotine regulation model, he argues that smokers continue to smoke to maintain the nicotine in the body at a level high enough to avoid any negative withdrawal symptoms . in his research he compared how many cigarettes different smokers needed to consume each week. some of his participant's were given cigarette's with low nicotine content and some cigarette's with a high nicotine content. those with the low level smoked more than those with the high concentration, just as would be predicted by the nicotine regulation model. the higher nicotine content allowed the smokers to reach the level of nicotine required with fewer cigarettes . the result was clearest with heavy smokers

Question 33

describe the role of dopamine - the reward system

Answer 33

lerman et al-showed that those carrying a particular gene were less likely to take up smoking, and that this gene worked in the dopamine system in the brain sabol et at -went on to show that the gene was extremely important In enhancing peoples ability to stop smoking and that those not carrying it were more likely to remain as smokers, maintaining their addictive smoking behaviours .dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain . it is a neurotransmitter responsible for communication in different parts of the brain , including the so called reward system . biologically nicotine has been shown to increase dopamine release within the brains reward system. . biologically nicotine has been shown to increase dopamine release within the brain reward system , therefore provide us with a positive feeling. maintaining addictive smoking behaviour continues to provide us with a positive feeling . injections of drugs that block the action of dopamine in the brain have been shown to reduce the reward nicotine provides

Question 34

describe stress as a risk factor

Answer 34

stress seems to have complicated relationship with addiction, on one hand people report they use addictive behaviours to reduce stress whereas on the other hand many addictions are known to increase stress .high levels of stress can lead to a vulnerability to addiction drugs and behaviours that give relief from stress is a type of coping mechanism. stress can be short or long term and it is long term stress that tends to increase the likelihood of someone becoming addicted . it has also been suggested that rather than the level of stress , it may be that it is a persons ability to cope with stress that predisposes them to addiction higher stress levels occur in cities or areas of high population and these areas are more associated with higher levels of addictive behaviors. however this is only a correlation and there may be other reasons that addicts are living in those areas. a link has been made between negative life events and vulnerability to addiction . this link is especially strong if the negative life event occurred in adolescence or childhood. it has also been suggested that vulnerability to addiction could be due to cumulative stressful events within a persons life. the timing of the event does not seem to be important . stress can cause a release of cortisol which increases dopamine functioning in parts of the brain . the influence of dopamine is linked to addictive behaviours.

Question 35

research for stress risk factor

Answer 35

piazza- tested rats for vulnrability to addiction through stress. they stressed the rats by pinching their tails and found that rats were more likely to seek out and ingest amphetamines the more stressed out they were wan sen yan- found a link between stress and internet addiction using a life changes measure ( it looked at stress levels, personality traits and family functioning . the measure lacks validity

Question 36

evaluations for stress as a risk factor

Answer 36

- it is difficult to establish cause and effect. addiction could cause high stress levels as opposed to the other way round - stress research is often conducted on animals due to ethical issues. therefore the stress levels induced in the animals is not actually known , the research can therefore lack validity - research into stress and addiction could be useful in developing practical application . a vulnerability measure could be produced to help to predict the likelihood of becoming addicted based on stress levels . a stress level could also help to predict the likelihood that a person relapses - stress can be linked with the biological explanations of addiction such as changes in neurotransmitter levels and change in brain structure development. it can therefore start to form a more holistic account of risk factors for stress

Question 37

describe family as a risk factor

Answer 37

family can influence addictive behaviour through social learning and through expectancies . addiction through social learning will occur when the behaviour observed is a role model. if the role model is rewarded for their behaviour this may act as vicarious reinforcement for the observer and therefore increase the likelihood that they will imitate the behaviour . this could occur within a family with addictive substances. the addiction is not the imitated behaviour but the desire to try the substance that is the influence . expectancies are the associations that we make from observing the environment eg- we may learn that if we drink excessively then we will have lots of fun , because we saw a sibling doing this. , they are a type of schema . therefore family can increase or decrease our likelihood of addiction as they influence whether we try substances or not

Question 38

research for family as a risk factor

Answer 38

akers and lee- found that smoking behaviour in adolescence was affected by social learning. they looked at smoking habitats of 12-17 year olds across a 5 year period, they found that social influences affected smoking behaviours such as trying smoking, continuing smoking and quitting smoking christianson- found that the expectancies of adolescents can be used to predict drinking problems later in life. the sample were 11-14 year olds who were asked about their expectancies in relation to alcohol. the amount of alcohol and how often they drank a year reflected their expectancies . this shows the importance of environmental influences on later behaviour and therefore family is potentially important.

Question 39

evaluations of family as a risk factor

Answer 39

- the influence of the family will depend on the age and the strength of the relationship for each individual person. family influence may not be constant throughout a life span but more relevant at certain stages in life - observation of a behaviour does not necessarily mean initiation. there are other mediating cognitive fact that also have an influence on motivation to perform that particular behaviour eg a child might not smoke if other sources have warned against it it is difficult to ascertain whether family influences is more or less important than other factors affecting the risk of addiction - it seems more likely there is a link between the family and initiating a behaviour such as substance use however it is more difficult to measure the link with he formation of addiction

Question 40

describe the reward system in the brain linked to nicotine

Answer 40

it has also been found that nicotine enhances the reward value of the other things that much greater. self stimulation procedures can be used to show this. a small electrical stimulation of the brains reward centres can generate a positive feeling , and research has shown that rats can be trained to self administer these small electrical shocks . nicotine has been shown to enhance the reward value of such electrical stimulation. this means that rats who receive nicotine need lower electrical stimulation to experience the same level of reward.( Harrison et al ) when the exposure to nicotine stopped , and the rats experience withdrawal, the self stimulation increases . this indicates that the rats require higher current intensities to perceive the stimulation as rewarding when not exposed to nicotine (epping Jordan et al) it follows that people maintain their addictive smoking behaviours because it makes other behaviours seem that much more enjoyable . if smoking were stopped other activities would need to be that much more exciting to compensate for the removal of the nicotine

Question 41

describe relapse in response to nicotine

Answer 41

a physical dependence on a drug such as nicotine can mean a quite high tolerance stopping long term use of smoking at high tolerance levels can result in severe withdrawal symptoms . it is clear that the unpleasant feelings of withdrawal can be avoided if a person relapses and resumes the addictive behaviour lerman et al- have shown that smokers who are deprived of nicotine during withdrawal show increased activity in certain parts of their brain . in their study , lerman used a scanner to measure blood flow in the brain . they tested regular smokers just after a cigarette and then after a single night where the smokers abstained from their habits. the results showed that after the night without smoking there was an increase in blood flow to parts of the brain concerned with attention, memory and also reward. they concluded that these parts of the brain become particularly active when the person is craving a cigarette . the research also suggested that some people are more prone than others to cravings because of changes in brain chemistry, this research is useful in knowing what it is that encourages an ex smoker to relapse , and why some people are more likely to relapse than others

Question 42

evaluations for the biological explanations

Answer 42

- the evidence base for research in this area often uses animals . this allows humans not to be harmed either physically or psychologically. however animals have different brain structures and therefore cannot be generalised - the biological explanation is reductionist because t ignores interactions with social context for example peers, this means it only focuses on one aspect of the initiation and maintenance of nicotine addiction - free will vs determinism - twin studies and the nature vs nurture debate

Question 43

define the theory of planned behaviour

Answer 43

considers the motivations, beliefs and intentions of the individuals to alter the behaviour that they are producing

Question 44

what are the 4 parts of the theory of planned behaviour

Answer 44

- attitude and behavioural beliefs - subjective norms and normative beliefs - perceived behavioural control - behavioural intentions

Question 45

describe attitude and behavioural beliefs

Answer 45

does the person realise and acknowledge that the addiction is having a negative effect? realising that giving up is a good idea is key to recovery

Question 46

describe subjective norms and normative beliefs

Answer 46

are the beliefs of the group that the addicts belong to conductive to giving up the addictive behaviour? of they are not supportive beliefs then it is unlikely that the individual will start and maintain a treatment programme

Question 47

describe perceived behavioural control

Answer 47

does the person believe or think that they have the ability to combat the addiction and the deal with situations which may be difficult . it is their perception of the ability which is important. for example if they do not think that they can cope in a situation where their addictive behaviour is likely to come out then they are unlikely to be a successful

Question 48

describe the behavioural intentions

Answer 48

is the person likely to stop their addictive behaviour and will the treatment programme work? this is the last stage and is made up of all of the three other stages

Question 49

theory of planned behaviour research and evaluations

Answer 49

pelling an white - aimed to investigate the usefulness in the TPB model in the prediction of use of social networking websites (SNW) . THEY USE 233 students ( 149 female, 84 male) aged 17-24. they were asked to complete 2 questionnaires one week apart. one questionnaire asked them standard TPB questions alongside questions to explore self identity, belongingness and addictive tendencies. the follow up questionnaire asked them the number of days in which they had made four or more visits to SNW . the results showed that attitude and subjective norms were a good indicator of future SNW behaviour but perceived behavioural control was not. they also found that the ,measure of self identity was a good indicator of SNW activity but belongingness was not. both self identity and belongingness were a good predictor of addictive tendencies evaluation strengths- the research therefore shows some support for the use of TPB in predicting whether a young person is likely to engage in high frequency use of SNWs weaknesses- the research suggests that there may be other influential factors contributing to the intention of an individual to complete the behaviour (ie stop the addiction)

Question 50

evaluations of the theory of planned behaviour

Answer 50

strengths - there are positive practical applications of the model. it is helpful in indicating the intentions of an individual and therefore aids the prediction of whether the treatment will work. this is a strength because it can have an effect in the investment of money into the programme. this is indicated by the wide use of the model in health psychology and health economics suggesting that practitioners acknowledge its value and predictive powers - the role of peers in the influencing behaviour is acknowledged in this model, this is a strength because it considers the risk factors involved in the development of addictive behaviours and how important their role can be. the influence does not stop once the addiction is developed and therefore should be considered when developing a programme for behaviour change limitations - the theory of planned behaviour is reductionist , it breaks down whether a person intends to complete a treatment programme to four stages and this may not be enough, this is a limitation because it may ignore other factors such as belongingness or emotion that may be key in a persons intention to give up an addiction - the key components of the model have been criticised as being conceptually vague and difficult to measure reliably for example a persons perception of control is difficult to measure. in addiction self report measures are used where individuals may downplay their addictions . this is a limitation because if the key features cannot be measured reliably the model as a whole loses validity in predicting the likelihood of behavioural changes - may not work for highly addictive behaviours - not accountable for other variables eg mood faer , threat

Question 51

describe prochaska six stage model

Answer 51

the model offers an explanation of the process of changing from unhealthy to healthy behaviours.

Question 52

what are the six stages of prochaskas model

Answer 52

``` precontemplation contemplation preparation action maintenance termination ```

Question 53

describe precontemplation

Answer 53

this is when the individual is aware that what they are doing is unhealthy , but they do not feel that they need to do anything about it at this point " I am ok right now "

Question 54

describe contemplation

Answer 54

in this stage individuals show an awareness that they need to take action but they don't do it. often described as inertia , when people know the right thing to do but do not act on it " I will change tomorrow "

Question 55

describe preparation

Answer 55

this is the first point at which action is taken. if the behaviour change is going to be successful it needs to be planned . behaviours at this stage are dependent on the aspect being changed , but they include things such as ensuring there are no social events that might tempt a relapse. the individual may also plan distractors to keep them busy and rewards to keep them motivated " I'm changing next month so I need to plan how I will do it "

Question 56

describe action

Answer 56

this is when the plan is put into action . smoking is stopped , alcohol is no longer drunk and this is the first time the person actually makes the change in behaviour . this stage lasts 6 months until it is deemed to be the next stage of maintenance , relapse can happen at this stage "I have stopped"

Question 57

describe maintenance

Answer 57

this stage can be lengthy and starts to ensure that the initial enthusiasm and motivation do not wane. maintenance strategies are employed , such as realising the benefits of adopting the healthier behaviours, rewarding oneself for stopping and keeping focused on long term goals of the termination relapse can still occur " I have still stopped "

Question 58

describe termination

Answer 58

this is a stable state and is the point of which there is no longer any temptation and is maximum confidence in the ability to resist the behaviour . some people never achieve this stage. the change is complete, relapse cannot occur " I will never do it again "

Question 59

describe research for prochaskas six stage model and evaluate it

Answer 59

velicer- aimed to investigate the effectiveness of smoking cessation programmes based on prochaska six stage model of behaviour change. they conducted a meta analysis of five studies into smoking cessation. they found that there was a 22-26% success rate in these studies )this is high compared to other interventions) they also found that there were no demographic differences in success weaknesses - small success rate , not reliable 6 stage model - only had 5 studies - focuses on smoking strengths - the research shows that interventions based on the model of behaviour change are successful regardless of participants variables and therefore is universally applicable

Question 60

evaluations of prochaskas model

Answer 60

strengths - useful of everyone regardless of age - there have been practical applications of the theory. measures have been developed to allow individuals to be classified as to which stage they are currently in . this is a strength because it means that the model has been used to ensure the appropriate interventions happens at particular stages of a persons behaviour change limitations - there is research to suggest that use of this model of behaviour change has no effect on success, this is a limitation because contradictory evidence challenges the validity of the model in being important in the process of changing addictive behaviours

Question 61

ways of reducing addictive behaviour

Answer 61

drug therapy behavioural therapy cognitive behavioural therapy

Question 62

what is the aim of cognitive behavioural therapy

Answer 62

the therapy aims to change the faulty ways of thinking that leads people to use drugs/ engage in behaviours as maladaptive ways of coping , which includes functional analysis and skills training

Question 63

what Is CBT and how is it used in addiction therapy

Answer 63

- is a form of talk therapy that is used to teach , encourage and supports individuals about how to reduce / stop their harmful drug use - CBT provides skills that are valuable in assisting people in gaining initial abstinence from drugs or the behaviour - CBT also provides skills to help people sustain abstinence

Question 64

why is CBT useful

Answer 64

CBT is a counselling teaching technique approach well suited to the resources capabilities of most clinical programmes CBT has been extensively evaluated in rigorous clinical trials and has solid empirical support CBT is structured goal orientated and focuses on he intermediate problems faced by the substance abusers entering treatments who are struggling to control their use CBT is a flexible individualised approach that can be adapted to a wide range of clients as well as a variety of settings and formats CBT is compatible with a range of other treatments the clients may receive such as drug therapy

Question 65

describe functional analysis

Answer 65

identifies and challenges the underlying cognitive distortions and replace them with adaptive ways of thinking 1- clients and therapist together identifies high risk situations 2- the therapist reflects on what the client is thinking before, during and after the situation 3- the therapist must then challenge the distorted cognitions

Question 66

describe skills training

Answer 66

helps the client to develop coping behaviours to avoid high risk situations that usually triggers addiction related behaviours relaxation skills-being taught relaxation skills means that a physiological method of calming down is learned that replaces taking a drug. they can then use these techniques when they are in danger of using the drug . the impulse action of using the drug are delayed , allowing the person time to consider and rationalise their actions relapse prevention training - a long term technique that focuses on the addicts beliefs in their addiction these will need to be challenged if they are faulty .RPT can improve th control the addicts feel over their addiction and therefore decrease the chances of slipping back into addictive behaviours

Question 67

evaluations of CBT

Answer 67

strengths - supporting research (petry) shows findings are strong evidence that CBT is effective - people are less addicted - individualised programme so that it does not take a generalised view of each person, so can be tailored and more effective weaknesses - individualised programmes are expensive and time consuming - found that there's support for long term and short term gains , so evidence for both - high drop out rates compared to other forms of therapy because there demanding

Question 68

supporting research for CBT and evaluations

Answer 68

chaney- investigated the success of RPT. they conducted a randomised trail on alcoholics. it included 40 participants who were ex soldiers. participants were randomly assigned to the groups of 1- skills training 2-insight orientated 3-normla drug treatment the skills training group spent fewer days drunk, consumed less alcohol and spent less time drinking . the conducted that cognitive therapy is successful in comparison to other treatment strengths -does support that to reduce addiction , skills training is successful weaknesses - sample size is specific so cannot be generalised

Question 69

what are the key point of the cognitive explanation for gambling

Answer 69

the cognitive theory explains gambling in terms of irrational thought processes and focuses on the reasons people give for engaging in gambling behaviour and the role of cognitive biases

Question 70

define illusion of control

Answer 70

overestimating their own ability to influence the outcome of random events

Question 71

define gamblers fallacy

Answer 71

expecting to win after a losing streak

Question 72

describe the initiation in relation to the cognitive explanation of gambling

Answer 72

gambling is initiated though a persons own beliefs and interpretation about gambling often in terms of their level of control the more control they believe to have the more likely it is that an individual may become addicted this is particularly see in circumstances where the gambling requires an element of skill such as poker where the gambler can over estimate their chances of winning

Question 73

define sunk cost fallacy

Answer 73

more bad luck means the gambler is more reluctant to go home empty handed therefore they see this as a way to win back the money they original lost

Question 74

describe maintenance in relation to the cognitive explanation of gambling

Answer 74

addiction to gambling is maintained through cognitive bias this can be due to motivation, emotion and social pressure

Question 75

define cognitive bias

Answer 75

gamblers continues to gamble despite the frequency of big losses as they have distorted perception of their gambling behaviour

Question 76

describe relapse in relation to the cognitive explanation of gambling

Answer 76

the cognitions that prevent a gambler recovering from their addiction involve mood and the sense of vicious cycle . gambling can help a person cope with negative mood states that can result from boredom and can also lead to positive mood states created by the excitement of gambling . these can be strong incentives to take up again, even after a decision has made to stop the vicious cycle explanation complements this by suggesting that the gambler believes that the low mood is created from having financial difficulties can be offset by a return and the chance to win enough to pay off the debts

Question 77

supporting research for the cognitive explanation to gambling

Answer 77

method- 30 regular gamblers and a control group of 30 occasional gamblers, all were volunteers from a university. each participant was given £3 and 30 gambling opportunities on a fruit machine . the goal was to win enough money to make a total of 60 gambles. one this was achieved , the gamblers had the opportunity to keep their winning or to carry on gambling . throughout the experiment the participants were asked to talk out loud and were interviewed in order to assess their perceived skills. findings ( regular gamblers ) - saw themselves as more skilful than non gamblers - gave more irrational statements - more likely to explain a loss as a near miss or win - were 5 more likely to stay on the machine until they lost all their money conclusion -as the regular gamblers perceived themselves as being more skilful than they actually were this supports the concepts of cognative bias however the use of a self selecting method near a university would not hold a representative sample of gamblers, therefore study is difficult to generalise evaluation weaknesses - demand characteristics -cant generalise strengths - ecological validity as n an actual casino

Question 78

evaluations of the cognitive explanation

Answer 78

- difficult to establish cause and effect , it has been debated whether irrational thinking and cognitive biases lead to addiction or whether the biases are symptoms of the addiction - ignores conscious awareness, fails to consider free will in terms of an individuals ability to stop, cannot explain why some individuals do not experience addiction and cognitive biases

Question 79

comparison between cognitive and social learning theory

Answer 79

similarities - neither theories are holistic - both ignore concepts of genetics and personality - both use nomothetic methods weaknesses - learning theory , gambling Is a learned response- cognitive , is to do with irrational thoughts - learning theory considers nurture whereas cognitive considers both nurture and nature

Question 80

Describe covert sensitation

Answer 80

Imagining something gross ontop of what your addicted to

Question 81

What are the 3 types of drugs

Answer 81

Aversive- makes you sick Agonistic- same feeling Antagonist- stop the feeling