If someone experiences withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking a drug, what does this indicate about their relationship with the substance?

It indicates they have developed physical dependence, as their body has adapted to the presence of the substance.

How does physical dependence differ from psychological dependence in terms of what each involves?

Physical dependence involves physiological adaptation to a substance, whereas psychological dependence involves emotional or mental reliance on the rewarding effects of a substance or behaviour.

What is tolerance in the context of addiction?

The process by which repeated exposure to a substance leads to a diminished response, requiring increased amounts to achieve the same effect.

Why does a person with tolerance need to increase their substance intake over time?

Because repeated exposure diminishes the body's response to the substance, so larger amounts are required to achieve the same effect.

AQA A-Level Psychology 7182

Social Influence

Topic overview Types of conformity and explanations for conformity Conformity to social roles: Zimbardo's prison study Explanations for obedience Resistance to social influence Minority influence Social influence and social change

Memory

Topic overview The multi-store model of memory Types of long-term memory The working memory model Explanations for forgetting Factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony

Attachment

Topic overview Caregiver-infant interactions: reciprocity and interactional synchrony Schaffer's stages of attachment Multiple attachments and the role of the father Animal studies of attachment Explanations of attachment Ainsworth's Strange Situation and types of attachment Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation and effects of institutionalisation Influence of early attachment on relationships Cultural variations in attachment

Approaches in Psychology

Topic overview Origins of Psychology: Wundt, introspection and the emergence of Psychology as a science Learning approaches The cognitive approach The biological approach The psychodynamic approach Humanistic Psychology Comparison of approaches

Biopsychology

Topic overview Divisions of the nervous system Structure and function of neurons and synaptic transmission The endocrine system The fight or flight response Ways of studying the brain Localisation of function and hemispheric lateralisation Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma Biological rhythms: circadian, infradian and ultradian

Clinical Psychology and Mental Health

Topic overview Definitions in the field of mental health Characteristics of phobias, depression and OCD Behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias Cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression Biological approach to explaining and treating OCD

Research Methods

Topic overview Experimental method Observational techniques Self-report techniques Correlations Content analysis Case studies

Scientific Processes

Topic overview Aims and hypotheses Sampling Pilot studies Experimental designs Observational design Questionnaire construction and design of interviews Variables Control Demand characteristics and investigator effects Ethics Peer review Implications of psychological research for the economy Reliability Validity Features of science Reporting psychological investigations

Quantitative and Qualitative Data

Topic overview Quantitative and qualitative data; the distinction between qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques Primary and secondary data, including meta-analysis Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion Presentation and display of quantitative data: graphs, tables, scattergrams, bar charts Distributions: normal and skewed distributions Introduction to statistical testing; the sign test

Data Handling and Analysis

Topic overview Primary and secondary data Descriptive statistics Presentation and display of quantitative data Distributions Analysis and interpretation of correlation Levels of measurement Coding in content analysis

Inferential Testing

Topic overview The sign test Probability and significance Factors affecting the choice of statistical test

Issues and Debates in Psychology

Topic overview Gender and culture in Psychology Free will and determinism The nature-nurture debate Holism and reductionism Idiographic and nomothetic approaches Ethical implications of research and social sensitivity

RelationshipsOption 1

Topic overview Factors affecting attraction in romantic relationships Evolutionary explanations for partner preferences Theories of romantic relationships Online relationships Parasocial relationships

GenderOption 1

Topic overview Sex, gender, sex-role stereotypes and androgyny Chromosomes and hormones in biological sex Cognitive explanations of gender development Psychodynamic explanation of gender development Social learning theory as applied to gender development Gender incongruence

Cognition and DevelopmentOption 1

Topic overview Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development Piaget's theory of cognitive development Baillargeon's explanation of early infant abilities The development of social cognition

SchizophreniaOption 2

Topic overview Symptoms of schizophrenia and issues in diagnosis Biological explanations for schizophrenia Psychological explanations for schizophrenia Drug therapy for schizophrenia Psychological therapies for schizophrenia The interactionist approach to schizophrenia

Eating BehaviourOption 2

Topic overview Explanations for food preferences Neural and hormonal mechanisms in eating behaviour Biological explanations for anorexia nervosa Psychological explanations for anorexia nervosa Biological explanations for obesity Psychological explanations for obesity

StressOption 2

Topic overview The physiology of stress The role of stress in illness Sources of stress Measuring stress Individual differences in stress Managing and coping with stress

AggressionOption 3

Topic overview Neural and hormonal mechanisms in aggression Genetic factors in aggression Ethological and evolutionary explanations of aggression Social psychological explanations of human aggression Institutional aggression in prisons Media influences on aggression

Forensic PsychologyOption 3

Topic overview Offender profiling Biological explanations of offending behaviour Psychological explanations of offending behaviour Dealing with offending behaviour

AddictionOption 3

Topic overview Describing addiction Risk factors in the development of addiction Reducing addiction Prochaska's six-stage model of behaviour change Theory of planned behaviour as applied to reducing addiction

Explanations for Nicotine AddictionOption 3

Topic overview Brain neurochemistry, including the role of dopamine Learning theory as applied to nicotine addiction, including reference to cue reactivity

Explanations for Gambling AddictionOption 3

Topic overview Learning theory as applied to gambling, including reference to partial and variable reinforcement Cognitive theory as applied to gambling, including reference to cognitive bias

Addiction

5 subtopics
23 things to know
Paper 3
Paper 3, one topic chosen from the third option block

What Addiction covers

Addiction is an optional topic for Paper 3. It covers what addiction is and how it is described, the factors that make some people more vulnerable to it, the interventions used to reduce it, and two models of how behaviour change happens.

Where it is assessed

Paper 3

Issues and Options in Psychology.

Check the AQA specification ↗

The 5 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

What is physical dependence?

Key term

Define psychological dependence.

Key term

What is tolerance in addiction?

Key term

Define withdrawal syndrome and give its effects.

Key term

What is genetic vulnerability as a risk factor for addiction?

Numbers

What do twin studies show about the heritability of addiction?

Who and when

Which two personality dimensions did Eysenck link to addiction vulnerability?

Key term

Define impulsivity and sensation-seeking as addiction risk traits.

Evaluation

Why is the idea of an addictive personality controversial?

Key term

Which social influences act as risk factors for addiction?

Key term

How does the diathesis-stress model explain addiction?

Key term

What is drug therapy as a method of reducing addiction?

Key term

Define aversion therapy as an intervention for addiction.

Key term

What is covert sensitisation?

Process

Outline the components of CBT for addiction.

Process

Name the six stages of Prochaska's model of behaviour change.

Process

How do the first three stages of Prochaska's model differ?

Process

What happens in the action, maintenance and termination stages?

Evaluation

Why is Prochaska's model described as cyclical rather than linear?

Who and when

Who proposed the theory of planned behaviour, and what does it explain?

Key term

Which three components influence behavioural intention?

Evaluation

Give one strength of the theory of planned behaviour.

Evaluation

Give one limitation of the theory of planned behaviour.

Take Addiction further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

Physical dependence vs Psychological dependence
Physical dependence: bodily adaptation shown by withdrawal symptoms when a substance is removed. Psychological dependence: a compulsion to use for the rewarding effects, without necessarily experiencing bodily withdrawal.
Tolerance vs Withdrawal syndrome
Tolerance: a diminished response after repeated exposure, so larger amounts are needed. Withdrawal syndrome: the cluster of symptoms appearing when intake stops or is reduced.
Aversion therapy vs Covert sensitisation
Aversion therapy: pairing the behaviour with a real unpleasant stimulus. Covert sensitisation: imagining the behaviour followed by an imagined unpleasant consequence.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is physical dependence?
Model answer
A state in which the body has adapted to the presence of a substance such that withdrawal symptoms occur when the substance is removed.
2
If someone experiences withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking a drug, what does this indicate about their relationship with the substance?
Model answer
It indicates they have developed physical dependence, as their body has adapted to the presence of the substance.
3
Define psychological dependence.
Model answer
A compulsion to use a substance or engage in a behaviour for its rewarding effects, without necessarily experiencing physical withdrawal symptoms.
4
How does physical dependence differ from psychological dependence in terms of what each involves?
Model answer
Physical dependence involves physiological adaptation to a substance, whereas psychological dependence involves emotional or mental reliance on the rewarding effects of a substance or behaviour.
5
What is tolerance in the context of addiction?
Model answer
The process by which repeated exposure to a substance leads to a diminished response, requiring increased amounts to achieve the same effect.
6
Why does a person with tolerance need to increase their substance intake over time?
Model answer
Because repeated exposure diminishes the body's response to the substance, so larger amounts are required to achieve the same effect.

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Social Influence

Memory

Attachment

Approaches in Psychology

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Addiction revision questions

What does Addiction cover in AQA A-Level Psychology?: 5 subtopics: describing addiction, risk factors in the development of addiction, reducing addiction, prochaska's six-stage model of behaviour change and theory of planned behaviour as applied to reducing addiction. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
How is Addiction organised?: By the AQA 7182 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.

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