AQA Psychology A, Addictive Beahviour Key Research

Key Research:

Biological Model: Application to Smoking: Support :

Thorgeirsson et el (2008):

* 50,000 participants

* Smoking history taken via questionnaire

* Research done on DNA of 10,000 pts either current of former smokers who completed questionnaire

*Found a pattern of gene variation at two points of chromosome 15 was more common amoung people who had devloped lung cancer and where dependant on nicotine, than among those who remained healthy. Genetic variation was seen to have an effect on number of cigarette smoked per day and nicotine dependance.

Comments:

Shows a link between smoking and genetics.

Variant less common among smokers of less than ten a day compared  to non smokers. Supported the view that the variant increases risk of dependance.

Large study, Correlational. Allows cause and effect to be established. Fairly recent and therefore relevant

Buka (2003) children of mothers who smoked were no more likely to smoke themselves but if they did smoke they were more likely to become addicted.

Evaluation:

No particularly clear research findings

Large sample size, makes it generalisable

Ignores any social context

Its objective, scientific and is therefore more reliable

Led to treatments

Biological Model: Appilcation to Gambling : Support:

Slutske et al (2000) 64% of the varation in risk for addictive gambling was due to genetic factors alone.

Black et al (2006): 1st degree relatives of gamblers were more likely suffer a gambing addiction than distant relatives. Other research also demonstrates that there is a strong genetic transmission of gambling in…