Discuss explanations of a nicotine addiction (16 marks)
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The Complete Companion for AQA, Psychology A Level
Written by a student who achieved A* in the 2023 Psychology AQA A-level exams. Great template of 16 markers for those needing guidance on the addiction topic.
This document consists of 2 questions: 'Discuss the learning theory as an explanation for a nicotine addiction' and 'Discuss the neuroch...
AQA A-Level Psychology notes on the Approaches topic by an A* student
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Discuss the neurochemistry explanation for a nicotine addiction.
One explanation for a nicotine addiction is the brain neurochemistry explanation, which describes the neural
and chemical processes involved with nicotine. When an individual smokes, the nicotine binds to nicotinic
acetylcholine receptors in the ventral tegmental area, triggering the release of dopamine in the nucleus
accumbens to the prefrontal cortex. Dopamine creates the rewarding and pleasurable effects, such as
euphoria, which results in nicotine becoming addictive. When smokers go without nicotine for a prolonged
period of time, the drug is metabolised and disappears from the body. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are
functional but not stimulated, and neurons become sensitised again. There is a reduction in dopamine levels
and this contributes to the smoker experiencing withdrawal syndrome e.g anxiety. And nicotine dependence is
maintained as the smoker is motivated to avoid the withdrawal state by having another cigarette. If dopamine
enhancing receptors are continually activated through repeated smoking then this changes their sensitivity to
nicotine (tolerance e.g neuroadaptation).
One strength of the neurochemistry explanation for nicotine addiction is that there is research support. For
example, Mc Evoy et al (1995) studied smoking behaviour in people with schizophrenia who took a drug that is
a dopamine antagonist and works by blocking dopamine receptors, lowering the level of dopamine activity in
the brain. It was found that the people taking the drug showed a significant increase in smoking. This supports
the role of dopamine as an explanation of addiction to nicotine, as participants sought nicotine in order to
increase the level of dopamine in the brain and experience euphoria. However, the brain neurochemistry
explanation has been criticised for being biologically reductionist as it reduces a complex human behaviour
(addiction) down to a simple neurotransmitter (the level of dopamine in the brain), which reduces the
explanatory power of the brain neurochemistry explanation.
Another strength is that the brain neurochemistry explanation has practical applications. This is because the
idea that high levels of dopamine and activation of the brain’s reward pathway has led to the treatment of
nicotine replacement therapy. This is effective in reducing nicotine addiction by providing the individuals with
nicotine in a less harmful form (a patch instead). Therefore the brain neurochemistry explanation must be valid
as it has led to effective treatments of nicotine addiction in the real world.
A limitation is that there may be other alternate explanations for the nicotine addiction. For example, the social
learning theory suggests that an individual learns to smoke due to observing a role model such as a parent or
peer smoking. The individual identifies with them and therefore may imitate the behaviour of smoking.
Vicarious reinforcement could also play a role, an individual could observe a role model being rewarded for
smoking e.g by popularity and they therefore smoke to gain the same reward of popularity. This means that
the brain neurochemistry explanation is a limited explanation for nicotine addiction and ignores modelling.
Discuss the Learning Theory as an explanation for a nicotine addiction
The learning theory suggests that an addiction is learnt. Nicotine stimulates the release of dopamine in the
mesolimbic pathway, part of the dopamine reward pathway. In operant conditioning, smoking creates feelings
of mild euphoria which positively reinforces the smoking behaviour, which explains why they start smoking.
Negative reinforcement can also occur, as cessation of nicotine can lead to an acute withdrawal syndrome
such as disturbed sleep, agitation, poor concentration etc, therefore the addiction is maintained because
smoking allows them to avoid the unpleasant stimulus.
Classical conditioning can also explain addiction through cue reactivity. Secondary reinforcers, which are any
other stimuli present at the same time as smoking, become associated with the pleasurable effects. E.g certain
environments, for example the pub, and certain people create a sense of anticipation and pleasure, thus
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