The Cognitive Approach to Addiction

• Emphasises habitual ways of thinking and interpreting events
• Addiction does not depend on the properties of the drug/activity but on the addicts reasons (underlying thoughts for taking it)

Initiation: AO1

Expectation: Belief about what the addiction will do for the person

• Addiction is self-medication - addicts believe they will solve a specific problem
• The benefits of the activity are over estimated and people are more likely to become addicted if they have cognitive biases which minimise the negative consequences of the behaviour

• Addicts often high levels of impulsivity

    o   Placing a higher priority on the present excitement rather than on future consequences (cognitive myopia)

Maintenance: AO1

• Cognitive biases which emphasise the positive aspects of the behaviour and minimise the negative consequences
• Addicts have expectancies that abstinence from the addictive behaviour will lead to negative consequences which means that they will continue
• Addicts also have a high sense of self-efficacy, believing that they are in control of their addictive behaviour and would be able to give up if they wanted to

Relapse: AO1

• A person gives up an addiction... - Increased sensation of self-efficacy
• High risk emotional states, situation or events can pose threat to the persons sense of control and lead to a relapse. Particularly if the person believes giving up the addiction has negative consequences

Relapse can be minimised by understanding:

• The persons beliefs about what constitutes high risk situations
• Enhancing the persons skills for coping with these situation
• Increasing their self-efficacy
• Changing beliefs about the relapse process 

EVALUATION:

Application to smoking:

Initiation:

• People who start smoking have expectancies that smoking will have positive effects on their lives. For example, stress reduction, weight loss or improved mood
• Cognitive biases minimise the negative effects of smoking

Brandon and Baker (1991): carried out a questionnaire study of psychology students. There is evidence that people start smoking…