Flashcards
Addiction A02/3
Cards in this deck (28)
- 1Evaluate Becona et al in terms of cause or correlationHowever, the self-medication model can be criticised because we cannot necessarily establish cause and effect, as demonstrated in this study. Depression could be a consequence of gambling's personal and financial costs rather than a cause of it. This reduces the validity of the explanation.
- 2Evaluate expectancy bias in terms of publication biasIronically, there is a tendency to only publish positive research findings in the field of expectancy bias instead of findings that disprove the theory. This reduces the validity of the explanation.
- 3Evaluate the cognitive explanation of gambling relapse in terms of treatment implicationsOur understanding of relapse in cognitive terms can lead to effective treatment in the form of CBT, which enables us to correct these cognitive biases in terms of recall, for example. This should enable the gambler to have a more realistic perception of their behaviour, leading to abstinence. This strengthens the explanation.
- 4Evaluate the learning approach to smoking initiation with real life application/evaluate age/peers as a risk factor for addictionThis explanation is useful because it allows us to apply our knowledge to those most at risk. Resistance training, for example, teaches young people how to refuse cigarettes and educates them on the issues of peer pressure. Therefore, the explanation has real life application for the prevention of addiction.
- 5Evaluate the learning explanation of smoking maintenance in terms of gender bias.However, research suggests that there are clear gender differences in the stages and contexts of smoking. Women tend to start smoking later than men. The explanation doesn't address this, implying that it is gender biased and therefore less valid.
- 6Evaluate the learning explanation of relapse in terms of cue exposure treatmentSupport for the learning explanation of relapse is exhibited by cue exposure treatment. Cues are presented without the opportunity to smoke, aiming to extinguish the association between the behaviour and stimuli. This reduces cravings in responses to the cue, indicating that our understanding of smoking relapse has useful implications for treatment.
- 7Evaluate the learning explanation for gambling initiation in terms of reductionismThis explanation is reductionist. It isolates the behavioural variable of conditioning. This results in high internal validity for studies conducted in this area, better enabling us to develop treatments to counter-condition pathological gamblers. This shows that our understanding of gambling initiation has useful real life application.
- 8Evaluate the learning explanation of gambling maintenance in terms of the diathesis stress modelHowever, the diathesis-stress model proposes that an environmental trigger and a genetic predisposition are both important in causing addiction. This is evidenced by the fact that not everyone who's experienced reinforcement becomes addicted. This suggests that the explanation is limited in its approach.
- 9Evaluate the learning explanation for gambling behaviour in terms of it doesn't explain all of forms of gamblingHowever, the learning approach doesn't explain all forms of gambling. It is difficult to apply the same operant conditioning principles to everything e.g: scratch cards (short time period between behaviour and consequences) in comparison to sports betting (longer time period and requires more expertise). Therefore, the explanation is limited.
- 10Evaluate the biological explanation for gambling initiation in terms of individual differencesThe approach can explain why some individuals develop pathological gambling but not why others with the same pressures and experiences don't. This suggests that there are individual differences in vulnerability to addiction, which the approach does not explain. This reduces the validity of the approach.
- 11Evaluate the biological explanation of gambling maintenance in terms of a limited explanationHowever, the biological approach ignores other factors that may contribute to gambling maintenance such as incentives to gamble (peer pressure), provision of alcohol while gambling and accessibility to gambling opportunities. Therefore, the explanation is limited in its approach.
- 12Evaluate the biological explanation for gambling relapse in terms of the diathesis-stress modelOverall, research has shown that a genetic predisposition towards addiction is important but the diathesis-stress model suggests that environmental triggers may also play an important part in addiction development and relapse. Therefore, the explanation is limited as it focuses solely on the genetic predisposition.
- 13Evaluate stress in terms of a limited explanationHowever, people are capable of resisting stress as a risk factor for addiction (if they have a hardy personality, for example). It is only one influence. Often a combination of factors will lead to initiation (e.g: age, peers, low-self esteem). This reduces the importance of the influence.
- 14Evaluate stress in terms of addiction not having the fully desired effectHowever, whilst stress is a risk factor it can be criticised because the addiction may not have the fully desired effect. An individual may start smoking to reduce stress levels but overall, smoking has been shown to increase stress. This reduces the validity of the factor.
- 15Evaluate age as a risk factor for addiction in terms of limited explanationHowever, not all teenagers smoke. Age is only one risk factor that can affect our likelihood to develop an addiction. Often a combination of factors will lead to initiation such as low self-esteem (personality) and stress. This implies that the explanation is limited in its application.
- 16Evaluate biological interventions in terms of a combined approachHowever, biological therapies may work better in conjunction with psychological therapies, such as CBT, in order to alter the individual's positive expectancies towards the behaviour. Alone, biological therapy may not be enough to prevent addiction.
- 17Evaluate E-cigarettes in terms of health issuesAlthough safer than real cigarettes, E-cigarettes are still toxic. Harmful vapours contain nano-particles of carcinogens that aggravate lung tissue. Some flavours cause more lung stress than others (cinnamon was found to be the worst). This raises the ethical issue of whether the agonist replacement is really any better than the original chemical of addiction.
- 18Evaluate CBT in terms of individual differencesHowever, there are individual differences in the willingness of patients to undergo the stressful experience of abstinence. Less severe forms of CBT may be more appropriate for some, depending on the strength and type of addiction. This suggests that the treatment is limited in its application.
- 19Evaluate CBT in terms of a combined approachCBT may perhaps be more effective when used in conjunction with drug therapy. The biological treatment would ease the stress of the process. SSRIs may be effective, given the significant correlation between depression (self-medication) and gambling. Therefore, CBT may be more effective when used in a combined therapeutic approach (e.g: NRT will help to ease the stress of immediate cessation).
- 20Evaluate drug therapy in terms of easeDrugs are quick, cheap and don't require the stressful levels of motivation that psychological therapies do. Therefore, drug therapy may be very appropriate in treating the addiction.
- 21Evaluate drug therapy in terms of the long-termHowever, drug treatments will only provide a short-term solution. It may be more appropriate to combine drug therapy with psychological therapy to deal with the underlying cause for self-medication. This combined approach may be more effective than the drug alone.
- 22Evaluate the cognitive explanation of smoking addiction in terms of treatment implicationsNRT used in combination with CBT may be effective because it alters these positive expectancies of smoking behaviour. Therefore, our understanding of smoking maintenance has useful real life application for treatment.
- 23Evaluate peers/media influences as a risk factor for addiction in terms of determinismHowever, the factor assumes that our behaviour is determined solely through positive reinforcement. It ignores the free will of many youths to resist smoking. Therefore, the factor is rather deterministic.
- 24Evaluate media influences in terms of individual differencesHowever, we don't all respond in the same way to media influences. Self-esteem, age and stress may also affect our likelihood to take up smoking, for example. This suggests that there are individual differences in the factor's application.
- 25Evaluate Kramer et al in terms of other factorsHowever, other factors may have affected these results. The intervention group received weekly visits so social support might have factored into it alongside the media campaign. The control group were also on a waiting list so they knew they'd get help later. This could've affected motivation, thus reducing the validity of the results and therefore the strength of the media influence.
- 26Evaluate media campaigns in terms of real life applicationMedia campaigns can lead to effective treatment in some case but research suggests that it doesn't always target the right people. Targets must be sufficiently motivated to alter their behaviour alongside the media influence. Therefore, research is inconclusive in the area of media effects on addiction.
- 27Evaluate personality in terms of cause and effectHowever, personality traits may be common amongst addicts but that doesn't mean that they predict addiction. An environmental trigger such as stress may also be necessary. Therefore, personality is not the sole factor involved in addiction initiation.
- 28Evaluate Belin et al in terms of animal researchWhilst animal research does provide grounds for further research in the area it lacks external validity because it cannot be generalised to humans. Rats may have simpler brain structures and different motivations for addiction development (e.g: a rat won't have financial troubles that cause it stress). This reduces the validity of the factor.
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- A Levels Psychology (Addictive Behaviour) Flashcards on Addiction A02/3, created by Hazel Meades on 20/05/2015.
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- Hazel Meades
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