Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Biological
Approach
Gambling
- INITIATION
- pathological gambling
runs in families
- research found evidence of genetic
transmission of gambling in men and
first degree relatives more likely to
suffer than distant relatives,
demonstrating a strong genetic link
- explains why people with same
environmental experiences as
pathologicals don't develop addiction.
- suggest people more
likely to become
addicted due to
genetic predisposition
- why some
resist
treatments
& relapse
easily
- does ignore external
factors such as
accessibility to
gambling, free bets &
alcoholic drinks.
- diathesis-stress
model
- genetic
vulnerability
triggered by
environmental
factors.
- MAINTENANCE
- associated with underactive
pituitary adrenal response to
gambling stimuli.
- research found pathological gamblers
had no increase in cortisol levels after
watching gambling videos, compared
with recreational gamblers.
demonstrates that they do not produce a
stress response to gambling which other
would find stressful.
- get buzz due to rise in levels of dopamine
& noradrenaline that motivates them
- study on twin pairs found dependency was influenced by genetic factors, especially
for males. in females, genetic influences accounted for 47% differences between twin
types and 79% for males. Suggests gender difference in dependency vulnerability but
also indicating the existence of biological predispositions towards addiction.
- genes controlling
activity of brain
neurotransmitters
are passed on. after
winning streak, get a
rise in
neurotransmitter
levels.
- RELAPSE
- research found pathological gamblers
have higher boredom proneness scores
- boredom
due to
abstaining
can lead
to relapse
- more than 60% reported
physical side effects of
withdrawal sometimes
more severe than
withdrawal from drugs
- this indicates that
changes in
neurotransmitter levels
arising from abstaining
from gambling bring on
physical withdrawal
effects, supporting the
biological theory.
- Reductionistic of complex
gambling behaviour.
Though it offers
possibility for effective
treatment, ignores other
processes e.g. irrational
thought, social context.
- identical brain activity is
also triggered when
addicts are not directly
involved in addictive
behaviour, suggesting that
psychological factors like
conditioned responses are
also involved.
- doesn't explain why some types more
addictive than others e.g. people
hooked on video gambling became
compulsive gamblers in a year
compared to 3.5 years for those
betting on horse races or sports.