Addiction: Risk Factors in addiction - genetics/stress/personality/family/peers

Question 1

Which three AO3 points could be used for all of the risk factors?

Answer 1

Practical applications
Alternative explanations
Correlational

Question 2

What is a risk factor in terms of addiction?

Answer 2

An internal or external factor that makes a person more vulnerable to addictive behaviour

Question 3

What two ways could genetic influence vulnerability?

Answer 3

D2 receptors
Metabolism

Question 4

D2 is linked to which neurotransmitter?

Answer 4

Dopamine

Question 5

Genetics could have what effect on D2 receptors?

Answer 5

Fewer D2 receptors

Question 6

What is the problem with having fewer D2 receptors

Answer 6

A person feels less pleasure from everyday activities so people need to turn to more addictive substances to feel the same effect

Question 7

What is metabolism?

Answer 7

How fast the body can break down a substance

Question 8

Some people are less likely to smoke nicotine because they lack a fully functioning enzyme, which enzyme is it?

Answer 8

CYP2A6

Question 9

What did Kendler find about genetic vulnerability?

Answer 9

Those individuals with a biological parent with an addiction are more likely to have an addiction themselves, even though they were raised by adoptive parents.

Question 10

How is stress linked to addiction?

Answer 10

When a person experiences stress they turn to addictive substances or behaviours as a form of self medication.

Question 11

In terms of stress what has been linked to increased risk of developing an addiction?

Answer 11

Periods of chronic, long lasting stress
Traumatic childhood life events

Question 12

What did Anderson and Teicher find out about the effect of stress on the young brain and its impact on addiction.

Answer 12

Stress can damage the young brain
The impact is later stress could trigger the vulnerability and lead to a person self medicating to cope.

Question 13

What personality disorder is linked to addiction?

Answer 13

Anti-social personality disorder

Question 14

Anti-social personality disorder includes which personality traits?

Answer 14

Neuroticism and Psychoticism

Question 15

Neuroticism includes which personality traits?

Answer 15

High Anxiety
Irritability
Low self efficacy

Question 16

Psychoticism includes which personality traits?

Answer 16

Aggression
Impulsivity
Emotionally detached
Risk taking
Sensation seeking

Question 17

What did Eysenck and Gossop find about drug addicts?

Answer 17

They were more likely to score high for neuroticism or psychoticism

Question 18

What are the three ways that family influences can make a person vulnerable to addiction?

Answer 18

Perceived Parental approval
Low parental monitoring
Social Learning Theory

Question 19

How can Social Learning Theory explain that family is a risk factor for addiction?

Answer 19

Observe and imitate a family behaviour engaging in a addictive behaviour/using a substance

Question 20

How is monitoring linked to family being a risk factor for addiction?

Answer 20

If parents do not monitor the behaviour of their children. The child is more likely to engage in addiction?

Question 21

What is meant by perceived parental approval in addiction?

Answer 21

If parents engage in addiction in an addcitive behaviour or substance the child will also hold positive attitudes to the behaviour

Question 22

Which addictive substance did Madras study in family influence on addiction?

Answer 22

Cannabis

Question 23

Adolescents spend more time with their peers than family members so peers may act as a

Answer 23

gateway to addiction

Question 24

State three ways O’Connell found that peers can make a person vulnerable to addiction.

Answer 24

1. Peers have positive attitudes to drinking alcohol
2. Peers give people more opportunities to engage in addictive behaviours
3. People overestimate how much their peers drink