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Learning explanation for alcohol addiction (Operant conditioning (Positive…
Learning explanation for alcohol addiction
Classical conditioning
Feelings (e.g pleasure) can be associated with a neutral stimulus (e.g an environmental cue) where alcohol is usually taken (e.g whilst watching tv) to produce a conditioned response
If a substance gives pleasure, the automatic response will occur due to biological reasons
Environmental cues as relapse triggers
Certain smells, places and situations can have a strong connection to the act of using
e.g someone may smoke marijuana in the car on the way home. The car and marijuana form a paired association - the setting creates powerful cravings which lead to relapse behaviours
Identifying these environmental cues helps in treating an addiction, they might seek to address/reduce the association between the environment and the drug by engaging in alternative behaviours
Operant conditioning
Behaviour is reinforced if there is a reward and stopped if there is a punishment. A reward can be positive or negative.
Substance misuse can be explained using operant conditioning principles
Drugs taken for the reward of pleasurable feelings
After the drug has been taken for a while, it's more likely that negative reinforcement causes the abuse to be continued - drug taking removes withdrawal symptoms
Positive reinforcement
The pleasurable feelings will make the individual want to consume the drug again to create the same effect. The reward system is designed so that food, drink, shelter and sex are reinforcing but drugs can have the same effect.
This is not always due to the consumption of the drug.
Alcohol is normally taken socially and reinforced by peer approval, therefore the behaviour is reinforced by praise from those important to us.
Negative reinforcement
Drugs tend to be taken for rewards at the start for pleasure (feeling more confident when you drink)
Withdrawal symptoms occur when you stop drinking
You start drinking for positive reinforcement, but once this is gone, the person drinks to avoid withdrawal symptoms
The alcohol becomes the negative reinforcer (something unpleasant is avoided by doing something)
Social learning theory
Suggests a certain behaviour is observed when watching a model, and the role model is most likely someone similar to the individual
Internal cognitive processes are involved in the learning process, such as motivation and emotional responses and memory
The individual observes the role model's behaviour
e.g Seeing their parent drink regularly, and they would replicate this behaviour because they identify with their father
Vicarious reinforcement
Seeing family or friends enjoying the alcohol would mean getting the reward vicariously, and would lead the individual to start/keep drinking
ATTENTION
RETENTION
REPRODUCTION
MOTIVATION
Evaluation
Classical conditioning
Strengths
Field and Duka (2002)
used double-blind technique
Person carrying out study and participant didn't know which condition was which (what was in the drink)
Reduces bias and demand characteristics
Aversion therapy
Pairing undesirable with something unpleasant
Pair alcohol with drug to make them vomit, associate drinking with being sick
Not always acceptable in U.K
Weaknesses
Study lacks ecological validity, can cause demand characteristics
Other explanations (e.g biological, takes into account nature) may be better as classical conditioning only focuses on environment
Operant conditioning
Strengths
Provides explanation as to why they continue taking the drug, but not every time is a positive experience
Explains why someone continues to take the substance
Due to negative reinforcement, if they stop taking they would experience withdrawal symptoms
Weaknesses
Fails to explain why someone continues even after a negative experience
After a bad hangover or after feeling ill
Reductionist
Doesn't take into account biological factors
Some people have genetic predisposition to alcoholism
Many people take recreational drugs
Some may become addicted whilst someone else doesn't even when taking it at the same time
Social learning theory
Strengths
Studies by Bandura can add to the reliability of the SLT explanation, supports credibility
Family studies show drug misuse (alcohol) links to family, suggesting not only genetic component but also the likelihood of modelling role models
Weaknesses
Hard to show definitive link between observation and learning as there are other factors involved
Can be argued that family members act as role models because alcohol tends to run in families
Hard to distinguish whether the cause is based off SLT (nurture) or genetics (nature)
Mundt et al
found people show similar alcohol use as their friends, but not because of peer influence
They chose to be friends with people like them
Goes against SLT, showing people did not observe and imitate their friends