Risk Factor - Personality

Question 1

Outline Personality as a risk factor (2 points)

Answer 1

• 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

Question 2

Outline Extraversion as suggested by Eysenck (2 points)

Answer 2

• 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

Question 3

Outline Neuroticism as suggested by Eysenck (2 points)

Answer 3

• 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

Question 4

Outline Psychoticism as suggested by Eysenck (2 points)

Answer 4

• 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

Question 5

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

Answer 5

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

Question 6

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

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

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

Answer 7

• 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

Question 8

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

Answer 8

• 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