PS21: Addiction
Understanding addiction: physical and psychological dependence, biological explanations (dopamine reward pathway), psychological explanations (learning theory, cognitive), and treatments.
Addiction
Understanding addiction: physical and psychological dependence, biological explanations (dopamine reward pathway), psychological explanations (learning theory, cognitive), and treatments.
Key Fact: Addiction is a chronic disorder characterised by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite harmful consequences. Physical dependence: body needs the substance to function normally (withdrawal symptoms without it). Psychological dependence: emotional/mental need (craving, inability to cope without it).
Key Fact: Biological explanation: the mesolimbic dopamine pathway (reward pathway). Addictive substances and behaviours cause dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, producing pleasure. Repeated use reduces natural dopamine response, requiring more of the substance to achieve the same effect (tolerance). Genetic vulnerability: inherited differences in dopamine receptor genes.
Key Fact: Learning theory explanation: classical conditioning - environmental cues become associated with the addictive behaviour (e.g. the smell of a pub triggers craving for alcohol). Operant conditioning - positive reinforcement (pleasure from substance) and negative reinforcement (withdrawal relief) maintain addiction.
Key Fact: Cognitive explanation: self-medication hypothesis (people use substances to cope with negative emotions). Expectancy theory (beliefs about substance effects influence use). Gamblers fallacy: the mistaken belief that past random events affect future probability (e.g. 'I'm due a win').
Key Fact: Treatments: aversion therapy (classical conditioning - pair substance with unpleasant stimulus, e.g. Antabuse for alcohol), cognitive-behavioural therapy (identify triggers, develop coping strategies), self-help groups (AA, 12-step programmes), and medication (methadone for heroin addiction - reduces withdrawal without the high).
📋 Key Vocabulary and Concepts
For Addiction, you must know:
- Addiction
- Physical dependence
- Psychological dependence
- Dopamine
- Reward pathway
- Nucleus accumbens
- Tolerance
- Withdrawal
- Classical conditioning
- Operant conditioning
- Positive reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement
- Aversion therapy
- Gamblers fallacy
- Self-medication hypothesis
- Methadone
❓ Practice Questions
Q1: Explain how the dopamine reward pathway contributes to addiction.
Q2: Compare biological and learning theory explanations of addiction.
Q3: Evaluate treatments for addiction, considering both biological and psychological approaches.
✅ Answers
- The mesolimbic dopamine pathway: addictive substances/behaviours trigger dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, creating pleasure and reinforcing the behaviour. With repeated use: (1) tolerance develops - more substance needed for same effect; (2) natural rewards produce less pleasure; (3) withdrawal symptoms when substance absent. This explains why addicts continue despite harm - the brain's reward system has been hijacked.
- Biological: addiction is caused by changes in the dopamine reward pathway (genetic vulnerability, neuroadaptation). Explains physical dependence but ignores why people start using. Learning theory: addiction is maintained by reinforcement (positive = pleasure, negative = withdrawal relief) and conditioned cues. Explains why addiction persists in certain contexts but doesn't explain initial vulnerability. Both contribute: biological factors create vulnerability; learning maintains the behaviour.
- Biological: methadone replaces heroin (reduces withdrawal and craving without the high). Effective for harm reduction but doesn't address psychological dependence. Psychological: CBT identifies triggers and develops coping strategies. Addresses psychological dependence but high relapse rates. Aversion therapy: pairs substance with unpleasant effects. Limited evidence and ethical concerns. Combined approaches work best: medication for physical dependence + CBT for psychological dependence.
🎯 Exam Tips
- Dopamine reward pathway: substance -> dopamine release -> pleasure -> reinforcement -> addiction.
- Classical conditioning = CUES trigger craving. Operant conditioning = REINFORCEMENT maintains use.
- Physical dependence = body needs it. Psychological dependence = mind needs it. Both need treating.
📝 Exam Technique
Psychology Exam Tips:
When evaluating addiction explanations, consider: is the explanation reductionist? Does it account for individual differences? Can it explain why some people become addicted and others don't? A biopsychosocial approach (biology + learning + social context) is most comprehensive.
When evaluating addiction explanations, consider: is the explanation reductionist? Does it account for individual differences? Can it explain why some people become addicted and others don't? A biopsychosocial approach (biology + learning + social context) is most comprehensive.
⚠️ Common Errors
Watch Out!
Students often make mistakes here. Wrong: Addiction is simply a lack of willpower - people could stop if they really wanted to. Correct: Neuroscience shows addiction involves fundamental changes to the brain's reward system. The dopamine pathway is altered so that natural rewards no longer provide pleasure, and the substance becomes necessary for normal functioning. Withdrawal causes severe physical and psychological symptoms. While willpower plays a role in recovery, describing addiction as merely a lack of willpower ignores the powerful biological and psychological mechanisms that maintain it.
✍️ Model Answer
Full-Mark Response
Evaluate whether biological or learning theory provides a better explanation of addiction.
A grade 9 response will: describe biological explanation (dopamine pathway, tolerance, withdrawal, genetics); describe learning explanation (classical conditioning of cues, operant reinforcement); evaluate biological (strong neuroscience evidence but cannot explain why most people who try substances don't become addicted); evaluate learning (explains environmental triggers and maintenance but doesn't explain initial vulnerability); conclude: both are needed - biological factors create vulnerability (not everyone is equally susceptible), learning theory explains how addiction develops and is maintained in specific contexts. A diathesis-stress model combining both provides the most complete explanation.
📊 AO Deep Dive
Assessment Objective Focus: Addiction
AO1 — Knowledge: Demonstrate knowledge of Addiction including key definitions, research studies and psychological terminology.
AO2 — Application: Apply your understanding of Addiction to real-world scenarios and given contexts. Use research evidence to support your points.
AO3 — Analysis & Evaluation: Evaluate psychological theories and studies related to Addiction, considering methodological strengths and weaknesses, and reaching a balanced conclusion.
📝 Exam Questions by Topic
🎬 Video Resources
Detailed Notes
Key Studies and Theories in Addiction
Addiction is a core topic in GCSE Psychology that requires understanding of key studies, theories and research methods. The AQA, OCR and Edexcel specifications all require you to know specific studies in detail, evaluate their methodology, and apply psychological concepts to real-life scenarios. When studying addiction, focus on: the aims, methods, results and conclusions of key studies; the strengths and weaknesses of the research methods used; and how psychological understanding of addiction applies to everyday life.
Key studies in this area typically use specific research methods such as experiments, observations, self-report (questionnaires and interviews), or correlational analysis. When evaluating studies, consider: reliability (can the study be replicated?); validity (does it measure what it claims to measure?); ethics (were participants protected from harm?); generalisability (can the findings be applied beyond the study sample?); and usefulness (does the research have practical applications?).
GCSE Psychology emphasises the application of psychological knowledge to real contexts. You must be able to explain how understanding of addiction can be used to improve people’s lives, influence policy, or solve practical problems.
GCSE Example: Key Studies and Theories in Addiction
When writing about a study related to addiction, use the AMRC format: Aim (what was the study trying to find out?), Method (how was it conducted — design, sample, procedure?), Results (what were the key findings?), Conclusions (what do the results mean?).
Evaluating Research in Addiction
Evaluation is a crucial skill in GCSE Psychology. When evaluating studies related to addiction, use the GRAVE method: Generalisability (can the findings be applied to the wider population?), Reliability (are the results consistent if the study is repeated?), Applications (how can the findings be used in real life?), Validity (does the study measure what it claims to measure?), and Ethics (were participants treated ethically?).
Research methods commonly used in addiction research include: laboratory experiments (high control but low ecological validity), field experiments (more realistic but less control), natural experiments (no manipulation of variables), case studies (in-depth but not generalisable), questionnaires (large samples but social desirability bias), and observations (natural behaviour but ethical concerns). Each method has strengths and limitations that must be evaluated in context.
Ethical issues in addiction research include: informed consent (participants must agree to take part), debriefing (explaining the true purpose after the study), confidentiality (protecting participants’ identities), protection from harm (no physical or psychological damage), and right to withdraw (participants can leave at any time). The BPS Code of Conduct governs ethical standards in UK psychological research.
GCSE Example: Evaluating Research in Addiction
When evaluating Milgram’s obedience study, you might note: low generalisability (all male, American sample); high reliability (standardised procedure with 65% obedience rate); useful applications (understanding wartime atrocities); low ecological validity (artificial laboratory setting); and serious ethical concerns (deception, psychological distress).
Applying Addiction to Real Life
GCSE Psychology requires you to apply psychological understanding of addiction to everyday situations. Consider how the theories and studies you have learned about explain real behaviour: How does addiction affect people in schools, workplaces, families and communities? What interventions or strategies could improve outcomes based on psychological evidence?
When applying addiction to real-life scenarios, use the following structure: identify the relevant psychological concept, explain how it applies to the scenario, support your explanation with evidence from a named study, and evaluate the strength of the application (are there limitations or alternative explanations?).
The most effective GCSE Psychology answers show a clear link between theory, evidence and application. Avoid vague statements like ‘psychology can help’ — instead, specify which psychological concept applies, which study supports it, and exactly how it could be used in the given scenario.
GCSE Example: Applying Addiction to Real Life
A strong application answer: ‘Understanding of addiction could help in schools by [specific application]. This is supported by [named study] which found that [specific finding]. This means that [specific practical recommendation]. However, a limitation is [specific weakness of applying this research].’
Comparison Table
| Evaluation Criterion | What It Means | How to Assess It |
|---|---|---|
| Generalisability | Can findings apply beyond the sample? | Consider sample size, representativeness, culture |
| Reliability | Are results consistent if repeated? | Standardised procedures, replicability |
| Validity | Does it measure what it claims? | Ecological validity, construct validity |
| Ethics | Were participants protected? | Consent, debriefing, protection from harm |
| Applications | Is the research useful? | Practical implications, real-world relevance |
Additional Practice Questions
Q: Describe one study related to addiction and evaluate its methodology using the GRAVE method.
A: A key study in addiction investigated [aim] using [method] with [sample]. The results showed [key finding], leading to the conclusion that [interpretation]. Evaluation: Generalisability — limited by [sample issue]; Reliability — strengthened by [standardisation]; Applications — useful for [practical application]; Validity — limited by [validity concern]; Ethics — problematic because [ethical issue]. Overall, the study makes a valuable contribution but has limitations that should be considered when applying the findings.
Q: Explain how psychological understanding of addiction could be applied to improve a real-life situation.
A: Understanding of addiction can be applied to improve [specific situation]. Research by [named psychologist] found that [key finding], which suggests that [practical recommendation]. For example, in a school context, this understanding could lead to [specific intervention] which would benefit people by [specific improvement]. However, individual differences mean that not everyone will respond the same way, so a personalised approach may be needed.
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