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Vulnerability to addiction and the role of the media. addiction. risk factors . Can I: describe risk factors in the development of addiction including stress, peers, age and personality? provide informed commentary for these risk factors?
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Vulnerability to addiction and the role of the media addiction risk factors Can I: describe risk factors in the development of addiction including stress, peers, age and personality? provide informed commentary for these risk factors? describe and evaluate research into the role of the media in addiction?
Stress Addicts who cope badly with stress are more prone to relapse than those who deal with stress effectively. Understanding this link might help to pinpoint factors in the development of addiction. The practical application of the research is it suggests that developing ways of coping with stress is a better way of resisting addictive behaviour (e.g. relapse) than trying to avoid stress
Peers Peers have an influence on the development of addictions. Associating with those others who use drugs, for example, may be one of the biggest single risk factors in the initiation and maintenance of addiction. Other evidence suggests that experimenting with drugs while alone is also a key factor in the development of addictions. Recent work has suggested the influence of peers are often over-emphasised. (Bauman & Ennett 2006)
Age Teenagers who start using alcohol or other drugs at an early age have a higher risk of developing addictions later on, in comparison to those who first use drugs when they are older. A similar link exist for smoking. The effect described, of starting younger being linked to a higher risk of addiction, could be generic or down to learned factors. Further research is currently being undertaken to try and identify the exact mechanism involved.
Personality Neuroticism is a personality trait that may be linked with addictive behaviours. People with high levels of neuroticism are likely to experience anxiety or depression and may self-medicate with tobacco, alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism. Researchers have found that smoking accounted for up to only 40% of the association between high and neuroticism and death rates in neurotic individuals, so other factors must also be considered. (Mrozek, Spiro & Turiano 2009.
Gender Gender differences depend on what the addiction is. Currently, male smoking rates have remained stable/declining in the West. Female smoking rates are increasing slightly. Evidence shows that smokers weigh less than non-smokers, and smokers who give up do gain weight. Also, smoking may be used by females as a diet strategy. (Ogden and Fox, 1994)
Family Influence Parents are influential models for children. If parents use drugs then adolescents are more likely to use drugs sooner and more often. The same applies if parents demonstrate relaxed attitudes to drug use. There are empirical studies showing a link between parental attitudes and addictive behaviour, e.g. Fisher (1999) in relation to gambling. However, there are children whose parents smoke/gamble and who still do not engage in addictive behaviour so other factors must be considered.
Media Advertising Advertising is both used to increase the sales of things like lottery tickets and alcoholic drinks as well as to increase awareness of government health interventions such as drink-driving campaigns. Advertising may make people more likely to start gambling. TV adverts focus on the benefits of winning - they do not mention the non-winners. In young people, advertising of alcohol increase awareness and shape attitudes. (e.g. young drinkers show preference for heavily marketed products). It is hard to measure the effects of advertising because it is difficult to eliminate other factors. However, the fact that tobacco advertising is now illegal and alcohol advertising is subject to severe restrictions suggest that it is in fact effective.
Models in the media • For many years TV programmes showed people smoking and drinking alcohol. This is now less acceptable. • This modelling was both positive and negative. SLT suggests can learn behaviour through observation and vicarious reinforcement. So positive consequences for TV characters would be more likely to encourage someone to engage in the addictive behaviour. • If models are seen to be punished for their behaviour then it is less likely to be repeated, so TV can have a beneficial effect as well as a negative one. • The effects of behavioural models on TV are also hard to measure.
