Learning approach to alcohol

• Positive reinforcement - similar to smoking drinking alcohol gives people a feeling of pleasure which enables them to repeat the behaviour.
• Others may observe friends and family drinking and think that it is acceptable imitating their behaviour.
• Negative reinforcement - alcohol can be used to reduce inhibitors, reducing stress and pain.
• Negative reinforcement is often the reason people start to drink.
• Motivational toxicity is when alcohol is the only thing that will give them pleasure, other pleasurable experiences no longer give the individual pleasure.
• Negative reinforcement can also explain why a person relapses, this is because the withdrawal symptoms can be unbearable so they start drinking again.
• Cue exposure can be use to get people to stop drinking, if they are prevented from drinking but exposed to the sight and smell of alcohol it removes the negative reinforcement.
• Learning approach doesn’t take into consideration individual differences and that some people may not have a dependence.