cognitive models of addictive behaviour

Addictive behaviours may be initiated/ maintained due to distorted thinking relating to dysfunctional beliefs

Maladaptive cognitive process often link to mode- smoking/ drinking improves mode^ reduces stress

Their distorted thinking also means that that they may have a connive bias towards their addiction

The addict finds themselves in a vicious cycle of addiction- maintains their addiction

Addicts may also experience cognitive dissonance- leads to relapse    

Smokers often have irrational thoughts like believing that smoking reduces stress these dysfunctional ideas become self-furling- results in a vicious cycle of addiction

McMaster studied CD- it was found that smokers estimated thier risk of contracting lung cancer as grater then the risk non or ex-smokers saw for themselves but less than the risk of the average Australian  smoker

Smoker’s endorsed significantly more rationalisation/ distortions of logic regarding smoking then did non-smokers or ex-smokers- to deal with the CD they were feeling

This research is culturally biased

Pathological gamblers tend to have irrational thoughts and distorted beliefs such as perceiving success being due to skill and loosing as bad luck

Suppositious beliefs often develop to account for winning/ losing, leading to a greater risk taking/ gambling behaviour being MAINTAINED

Toneatto identified typical cognitive distortions including

Magnification of their own gambling skills

Illusion of control over luck

Superstitious beliefs 

Investigate the role of dysfunctional beliefs in relation to gambling activity

P were 30 Regular gamblers- gamble once a week/ 30 non regular gamblers- gamble once a mouth

Some findings

Machine personification –machine likes me regular 7.54 non regular 1.11

Reference to skill regular 2.64 non regular 0.90

Explaining losses regular 3.12 non regular 0.41  

Cognitive explanations help explain individual differences- countless  instances of people engaged in same activity but addiction only present in some cases    

Cognitive explanations may be limited to particular addictions- have less effect in chemical addictions but more of a pronounced effect in gambling or video game addictions   

Irrationally is an erratic predictor of addictive behaviour- irrationality does not appear to co vary with the observable facets of gambling- no cause/ effect can be established