Download Unit 3 health studies

Unit 3 - Health Psychology. Studies to be used as EVIDENCE
Brain Text Book
Animal research backs up human research findings. Research using mice has shown a correlation between
cocaine use and renal (kidney) failure. The same correlation was not found for heroin.
Jaffe (2006) found a similar correlation with human drug users. This suggests it is the action of a specific
drug rather than drug use in general that is associated with renal failure.
Meisch (2001) demonstrated the positive reinforcement of recreational drugs using rhesus monkeys who
were able to self-administer a drug solution. This suggests there is something fundamentally pleasurable
about drug use. In turn this supports the idea of a biological system though which dependence acts, in
other words the role of the dopamine reward system.
Pickens & Thompson (1968)
Czoty (2008) Reported that administering amphetamine sulphate (speed) to monkeys reduced their selfadministered cocaine use. This has a useful application for trying to find a chemical treatment programme
for cocaine addicts.
Olds & Milner (1954) – discovered that a rat would electrically self-stimulate the nucleus accumbens (part
of the reward pathway with which dopamine is associated) by pressing a lever, which they would do for
hours at a time. This finding supports the idea that the brain reward pathway plays a role in the reinforcing
properties of addictive drugs since many act at dopamine receptors.
Research using human participants
Blatter (2002) – used interviews with over 9,000 ppts
Scott (2004) – used PET scans to examine the difference in brain activity between ppts smoking a real
cigarette compared to one without nicotine.
Ennett (1994) used questionnaires to investigate the role of friendship groups in relationship to smoking or
not smoking behaviour.
Angles Text Book
Skinner (1994) animal research. Priming; brain recording; conditioned place preference.
Olds & Milner (1954)
Khroyan (2000) used squirrel monkeys to investigate the effect of different dopamine receptors in
reinstating drug seeking behaviours.
Logan (1965) Used rats to investigate the effect of immediate versus delayed rewards
White & Hiroi (1993) found rats showed place preference for the place they received injections of
amphetamine in to the nucleus accumbens – but not if it was injected into other places in the brain.
Pickens &Thompson (1968) looked at cocaine as a reinforcer for lever pressing in rats.
Research using human participants
Lamb et al (1991) lever pressing rates of ex – heroin users receiving different does of either morphine ar a
placebo.
Morgan & Grube (1991) – Used questionnaires to investigate the influence of peer groups on smoking,
drinking and use of other drugs.
Wise (1995) – found dopamine levels rose by 150-300% in response to lever presses for injections of
heroin.
Dielman et al (1991) found evidence for link between parental drug use and child drug use although this
was second to peer influence
Courtois et al (2007 supports this theory as they found link between adolescent smoking and cannabis use
and parental use
Simon-Morton et al (2001) found increased involved parenting led to a lower risk of drug use
Best (2005)’s finding suggest that parenting style could be an influencing factor. They found that cannabis
users were less likely to spend time regularly with their parents
Following on from this, Courtois et al (2007) found that an authoritative parenting style had a better
influence on lower rates of drug use compared to an authoritarian, neglectful or indulgent parenting style
Eitle (2005) suggested that observing drug taking in people the same age was a higher influencing factor
that observing adult role models
Lucchini (1985) status was a key characteristic of an effective role model for drug use
Bahr et al (2005) conducted a study on 4320 American students where they found that peer drug use was
influential, which supports Dielman et al (1991) as peer norms are more important that parental norms
In relation to the media, Atkin & Brock (1981) found that teenagers exposed to adverts containing alcohol
had a small effect when compared to other factors such as vulnerability, or attitudes of their peers.
Rychtarik et al (1983) conducted and experimental study with 8-11year olds. After watching a TV
programme with alcohol and without, those who had seen alcohol were more likely to choose an alcoholic
beverage to serve to their parents – this does not however, look at their own drinking habits.
Boon & Lomore (2001) looked at celebrity influence. 75% of people said they had a string attachment to a
celebrity role model. 59% of these stated that they affected their attitudes and beliefs.
Brain skinny red Text Book
Schramm-Sapyta et al (2008) adolescent male rats placed in cage for 16hrs for 3 consecutive days with the
only liquid alcohol. After, rats were given choice of water and alcohol – those given alcohol as adolescents
consumed more alcohol that those were not given early exposure.
Research using human participants
Comer et al (1997) used lab based token economy system to reduce drug taking in heroin addicts
Griffiths, Bigelow & Henningfield (1980) found that dosage rates of heroin can increase tenfold in 3-4
months