Behavioral Theory of Addiction | Assignment Help
Introduction
Drug addiction is a complex illness that starts with the intake of a drug for fun or influenced by peer pressure. This develops to a point where an individual’s ability to make choices on drug use is compromised due to the effects of prolonged drug use on the brain and behavior. Drug addiction is a compulsive craving and seeking for a drug and using it in a persistent way regardless of its adverse consequences (Wise & Koob, 2014). A person with a drug addiction condition has difficulties in controlling the use of the drug even when there is visible health, social, and economic consequence. The behavioral theory of addiction is an example model to understand drug addiction. This involves examining the principles and assumptions, strength and weaknesses, as well as its use and practical implications. Since the behavioral theory has two forms of conditioning, this essay will focus on the classical conditioning also known as Pavlovian conditioning.
Principles, Values and Assumptions
The classical conditioning of drug addiction is based on the values of the stimulus-response relationship. This implies that an individual develops addiction behavior as an automatic response to a certain stimulus. The theory is based on the principle of learning from the interaction with the environment and the reinforcement a person gets. The classical conditioning theory assumes that behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment (World Health Organization, 2004). In this case, the environment includes different influencers such as friends, family, economic status, and quality of life. Individuals in an environment characterized by a high level of peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, exposure to drugs and poor parenting have a higher chance of engaging in drug intake which can lead to addiction. In relation to peer pressure, individually consume drugs due to positive or negative reinforces. It starts with a response automatically elicited by a stimulus such as the need to belong to a social group. The individual consumes the drug with a neutral stimulus several times to a point where it automatically elicits the response. This occurs through positive reinforcement such as praise or a sense of belonging to the group (Thombs & Osborn, 2019). When an individual receives the praise of feels accepted in the group, he/she will respond by taking the drug leading to a positive reinforcement that influences behavior. Negative reinforcement such as a threat of expulsion from the group also encourages conformity responses that influence the behavior of a person in the long run. The positive and negative reinforcements strengthen the response by influencing the drug-intake behavior that leads to drug addiction.
Strength and Weakness in Understanding Addiction
The behavioral theory and classical conditioning, in particular, have numerous strengths in understanding addiction. The theory provides a clear prediction that can be tested through the scientific method and supported with evidence from previous studies. The classical conditioning approach has been proven to explain addiction and the process of addiction through observation studies. Indeed, there are many experiments done to support the theory such as the Pavlov’s dog study that explain the classical conditioning phenomenon (Khoo, 2019). The theory has a diverse application that explains how it influences human behaviors such as gender roles, education, depression, and aggression among others. The theory is its real-life application in therapy. The behavioral approach helps in understanding the environmental factors that promote specific behavior and help in designing the appropriate therapeutic intervention. For example, an individual with drug addiction issue due to stress caused by domestic violence, this information can help in planning the intervention that will not only address the drug addiction through rehabilitation but also improve the environment. This is by understanding the source and cause of domestic violence and solving it to eliminate the stressor. Despite the strength, the behavioral approach has weaknesses that include low ecological validity and reductionist approach (Lamb, Schindler, & Pinkston, 2016). On the one hand, the theory uses a reductionist approach that describes the environment of drug addiction. For example, the theory can perceive that a person takes the drug due to peer pressure but fail to understand the true cause of drug abuse which could be stress from work, home, or unemployment. Additionally, the findings of one study cannot be generalized to the real-life situation since each person could abuse the drug for different reasons.
Context of Using the Theory and Practice Implication
The classical conditioning theory is used in understanding the cause of the addiction and designing the intervention approach. Classical conditioning is part of the learning theory that attributes human behavior to prolonged learning in different circumstances. Therefore, using the theory, it is possible to deduce the factors influencing a specific behavior (Horvath et al., 2015). For example, if a person abuses drugs after a disagreement at home or the workplace, this can be stressful. After the identification of the factor influencing drug abuse, an approach can be designed to help the victim. This leads to the practical implication of the theory in addressing addiction. The theory helps in addressing addiction through the application of counter-conditioning process calls taste aversion. This involves a paired association between the substance and a negative outcome such as an association between the smell of alcohol and nausea (Horvath et al., 2015). In a hospital setting, patients undergoing therapy for recovery from addiction can be induced with nausea after smelling or testing the addictive substance (Horvath et al., 2015). This will result in a conditioned response associating the substance with nausea, vomiting, or feeling sick. The test aversion therapy replicates the classical conditioning that helps drug abuse victims to change their behavior.
Conclusion
Classical conditioning is a behavioral theory that relies on a social learning approach to understand drug addiction. The classical conditioning model is founded on the assumption and principle of learning from the interaction with the environment and the reinforcement a person gets. In the drug addiction context, environmental factors such as early exposure to drugs, socioeconomic status, and peer pressure are some factor that influences drug abuse. The theory helps in understanding addiction and formulating the intervention approach. However, it has a low ecological validity that hinders the generalization of results. Nonetheless, it is an ideal approach in designing the intervention for addiction patients using the counter-conditioning processes called test aversion.
References
Horvath, A. T. et al. (2015). Learning Theory of Addiction and Recovery Implications. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/learning-theory-of-addiction-and-recovery-implications/
Khoo, S. Y. S. (2019). From Pavlov’s Dog to Rats Using Drugs. Frontiers for Young Minds, 7(58).
Lamb, R. J., Schindler, C. W., & Pinkston, J. W. (2016). Conditioned stimuli’s role in relapse: preclinical research on Pavlovian-Instrumental-Transfer. Psychopharmacology, 233(10), 1933-1944.
Thombs, D. L., & Osborn, C. J. (2019). Introduction to addictive behaviours. Guilford Press.
Wise, R. A., & Koob, G. F. (2014). The development and maintenance of drug addiction. Neuropsychopharmacology, 39(2), 254.
World Health Organization. (2004). Neuroscience of psychoactive substance use and dependence. World Health Organization.
