biological approach to smoking

• initiation of smoking and bio approach

  through genetic predisposition and dopamine receptors.
• maintenance of smoking and bio approach

  role of dopamine, nicotine regulation, withdrawal symptoms and tolerance
• relapse of smoking and bio approach

  role of dopamine, nicotine regulation, withdrawal symptoms and tolerance
• biological factors - nicotine

  nicotine is highly addictive - travels to the brain- causes relaxation and temporarily feeling of pleasure
• vink et al 2005

  868 MZ and 704 DZ twins whose results shown that

  • for smoking initiation, 44% was explained by genes, 56% by environmental
  • for nicotine dependence, 75% genes and 25% environmental.

  concluded that genes are a huge contributor to both initiation and maintenance of smoking.
• eval

  + evidence to support the regulation theory. - SCHACHTER found that heavy smokers increased their smoking as there was less nicotine in the cigarettes

  supported the regulation theory
• eval

  + there are practical benefits for preventing smoking by targeting the adults who are role models to the children
• eval

  --not everyone regulates their nicotine levels e.g people can smoke but not be dependant on it - shows people might smoke for non-bio reasons
• eval

  --self report methods are unreliable because of a social desirability response and the results might not show that the findings of vink et al are actually true.