The processes involved in learning an addictive behaviour

Page 108
Black blue
108 HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
the central ideas of the disease model. The phenomenon of controlled drinking
indicated that perhaps an addiction was not irreversible and that abstinence may not
be the only treatment goal.
WHAT IS THE SOCIAL LEARNING PERSPECTIVE?
The social learning perspective differs from the disease model of addiction in several
ways:
I Addictive behaviours are seen as acquired habits, which are learned according to the
rules of social learning theory.
I Addictive behaviours can be unlearned; they are not irreversible.
I Addictive behaviours lie along a continuum; they are not discrete entities.
I Addictive behaviours are no different from other behaviours.
I Treatment approaches involve either total abstinence or relearning ‘normal’
behaviour patterns.
The processes involved in learning an addictive behaviour
To a social learning perspective, addictive behaviours are learned according to the following processes: (1) classical conditioning; (2) operant conditioning; (3) observational
learning; and (4) cognitive processes.
Classical conditioning
The rules of classical conditioning state that behaviours are acquired through the
processes of associative learning. For example, an unconditioned stimulus (‘US’, e.g.
going to the pub) may elicit an unconditioned response (‘UR’, e.g. feeling relaxed). If
the unconditioned stimulus is associated with a conditioned stimulus (‘CS’, e.g. a drink)
then eventually, this will elicit the conditioned response (‘CR’, e.g. feeling relaxed). This
will happen as follows:
The unconditioned stimulus and the unconditioned response:
going to the pub + feeling relaxed
(US) + (UR)
Pairing the unconditioned stimulus and the conditioned stimulus:
going to the pub + a drink
(US) + (CS)
The conditioned stimulus and the conditioned response:
a drink + feeling relaxed
(CS) + (CR)
Therefore, the conditioned stimulus now elicits the conditioned response.
Page 108
Black blue