Learning theory - cue reactivity

• Operant conditioning

  > Positive reinforcement

  • The individual is rewarded with the feeling of euphoria when they inhale nicotine
  • The individual will smoke again to get the same reward of euphoria

  > Negative reinforcement

  • Withdrawal symptoms make it difficult for the smoker to abstain for a long period of time and therefore an individual will continue to smoke to avoid unpleasant symproms
• Cue Reactivity

  > When an individual smokes, there are environmental stimuli present alongside cigarettes.

  > For example, holding a drink, certain friends, pubs, relaxing on the sofa after an evening meal.

  > The individual will learn to associate smoking nicotine with these environmental stimuli

  > After conditioning the environmental stimuli become CS and act as a cue to smoking leading to craving.

  > For example, someone may go to the pub and will immediately crave a cigarette
• Cue reactivity 2

  > This can explain why people maintain smoking behaviour as the cues lead to cravings and so the person smokes to reduce psychological withdrawal.

  > Cue reactivity can also explain relapse as people may have quit smoking, but when faced with cues crave a cigarette and smoke again.
• Learning theory AO3

  :) RTS Carter and Tiffany

  > They conducted a meta-analysis of 41 studies into cue reactivity.  They presented dependent, non-dependent smokers and non-smokers with smoking related cues (cigarettes)

  > They found that dependent smokers reacted most strongly to the cues for example increased heart rate and reported cravings to smoke

  > This supports cue reactivity as an explanation for smoking behaviour because the dependent smokers had learned secondary associations between smoking related stimuli and the pleasurable effects of smoking
• Learning theory AO3

  :( Environmental determinism

  > Individual is controlled by reinforcements and associations that cause behaviour

  > For example, if person is rewarded for smoking by the feeling of euphoria, they will inevitably smoke again to get the same reward

  > Neglecting the role of free will and choice the individual has, for example, a person may choose not to continue smoking despite the pleasurable reward, for health reasons

  > The learning theory cannot account for this and therefore may not be a full explanation of smoking behaviour
• Learning theory AO3

  :) Practical applications

  > This is because the principles of the theory, that addiction is caused by pleasant associations (cue reactivity)

  > Has led to behavioural interventions such as aversion therapy (rapid smoking).

  > This is effective in treating nicotine addiction by encouraging a patient to re-associate nicotine with negative feelings for example, nausea, rather than a feeling of pleasure.