Explanations for nicotine addiction Flashcards
(11 cards)
State the explanations for nicotine addiction (2)
1) Brain neurochemistry - role of dopamine
2) Learning theory applied to smoking behaviour - cue reactivity
Intro for brain neurochemistry
Brain neurochemistry states that a nicotine addiction is formed due to repeated activation of the brain’s reward pathways.
AO1: Brain neurochemistry
Nicotine is inhaled and reaches the receptors in the brain in less than 10 seconds.
This triggers neurones in the ventral tegmental area to release dopamine.
Dopamine travels down reward pathway called the mesolimbic pathways.
Dopamine stimulates D2 receptors which produces euphoria to motivate the person to smoke again which is the start of the addictive behaviour.
Dopamine travels down the second reward pathway called the mesocortical pathway.
Dopamine stimulates the prefrontal cortex which makes a person pay attention to smoking and everything associated so it can be repeated.
Repeated smoking causes 2 cellular changes in the brain. Upregulation is when a person hasn’t smoked for a period of time so the nicotine receptors become sensitive leading to withdrawal (cravings). There’s an increase in the number of nicotine receptors so more nicotine is needed to feel the same affects (tolerance).
Downregulation is when the D2 receptors in the brain become less sensitive and reduce in numbers. They dont feel the same buzz from smoking so more nicotine is needed to feel the same effects (tolerance)
Evaluations for brain neurochemistry (5) (5=stretch)
1) RTS - Mc Evoy - SZ drug
2) Scientific methods
3) Biological reductionism
4) Practical applications
5) Stretch: Economy
AO3: Brain neurochemistry: RTS
RTS brain neurochemistry and dopamine in nicotine addiction was conducted by Mc Evoy. They studies smoking behaviour in people with SZ who were taking a drug (haloperidol). This drug is a dopamine antagonist and blocks dopamine receptors reducing levels of dopamine activity in the brain. It was found those taking the drug had an increase in smoking. This shows that the patients sought out nicotine to increase their dopamine levels to feel euphoria. Therefore increasing the validity of brain neurochemistry and the role of dopamine in explaining nicotine addiction.
AO3: Brain neurochemistry: Scientific methods
The brain neurochemistry uses scientific methods so it has scientific enquiry to explaining nicotine addiction. It uses objective and empirical techniques such as brain scans, postmortems and urine sample to identify the concentration of neurochemical levels e.g dopamine. Therefore this increases the internal validity of the brain neurochemistry explanation of nicotine addiction, raising Psychology’s Scientific Status.
AO3: Brain neurochemistry: Biological reductionism
A weakness of brain neurochemistry as an explanation for nicotine addiction is that it can be criticised for biological reductionism. It reduces complex human behaviour of nicotine addiction into simple basic units of dopamine levels in the brain. This neglects a holistic approach which would take into account a persons social and cultural influences and explains their nicotine addiction. For example adolescents may develop nicotine addiction due to wanting to fit in with a particular peer group rather than the feeling of euphoria. Therefore the brain neurochemistry explanation of nicotine addiction lacks validity as it doesn’t allow us to understand behaviour in context.
AO3: Brain neurochemistry: Practical applications
The brain neurochemistry explanation of nicotine addiction has practical applications. The principles of the theory that nicotine addiction is due to dopamine and increased nicotine receptors has led to the treatment of nicotine replacement therapy. NRT provides the individual with nicotine is less harmful forms (patches) and the dosage is reduced overtime, reducing tolerance and dependence as nicotine receptors return to normal levels. Therefore the brain neurochemistry as an explanation of nicotine addiction is an important part of applied psychology, increasing the credibility.
AO3: Stretch: Brain neurochemistry
This has huge implications on the economy as the estimated cost of smoking to society is £17 billion per year. If nicotine addiction is treated effectively this reduces the cost to the NHS of treating smoking related illnesses and helps people return to work reducing cost of absences and contributing towards tax.
AO1: Learning theory and cue reactivity
One explanation is that smoking is a learn behaviour through operant conditioning.
Forming the addiction of smoking behaviour is explained through positive reinforcement. The smoker is rewarded with the feeling of euphoria when they inhale nicotine, due to its impact on the dopamine system in the brains reward pathways. Therefore the person will continue to smoke to gain the same reward of euphoria.
Negative reinforcement can explain why a person continues to smoke to maintain their addiction. Stopping smoking leads to withdrawal syndrome which has unpleasant symptoms of agitation, disturbed sleep and poor concentration. This makes it harder for the smoker to abstain for longer and they will continue to smoke to avoid the unpleasant symptoms.
Classical condition can also be used to explain nicotine addiction as they associate the nicotine addiction with pleasure.
Cue reactivity is based on classical conditions. When a smoker smoked there are environmental stimuli present alongside the cigarette e.g. the pub, certain friends, having a drink. The smoker associates the environmental stimuli (NS) with the cigarette (UCS). After conditioning, the environmental stimuli becomes the CS and acts as a cue for smoking leading to craving e.g. going to a pub and immediately craving a cigarette. The explains why people maintain smoking behaviour as cues lead to craving so they smoke to reduce psychological withdrawals. This also explained relapse as they may have quit smoking but when faced with cues having cravings and smokes again.
What are the evaluations for learning theory? (4) (4=stretch)
1) RTS - Carter and Tiffany - Cues
2) Environmental determinism
3) Practical applications
4) Stretch
