The Cognitive Underpinnings of Addiction

Abstract

A new conditional reasoning measure was developed to evaluate the role of implicit biases in perpetuating addictive behavior. Data (N = 669) were collected in 2005 from two samples in a suburban area: individuals with a known history of chemical dependency and individuals from the general population. Results indicated a strong correlation between overall test scores and group membership (r_pb = .48), which increased when the groups’ demographic characteristics were equalized (r_pb = .65). Overall, findings suggest that addiction-prone individuals rely on a distinct set of cognitive biases that rationalize self-destructive behavior. The study's limitations are noted and implications and directions for future research are discussed.

RÉSUMÉ

Les fondements cognitifs de l'addiction

Nous développons une mesure nouvelle de raisonnement conditionel afin d’évaluer les bases implicites qui soutiennent le comportement addictif. Les données (N = 669) ont été receuillies en 2005 sur deux échantillons provenant de zones suburbaines: des individus dont l'histoire de la dépendance aux substances chimiques est reconnue, et des individus représentatifs de la population en général. Les résultats de l'enquête indiquent qu'il y a un correlation très forte entre les membres de groupe et leurs résultats dans les contrôles (r_pb = .48), et que cette correlation est encore plus forte lorsqu'il y a nivellement des caractéristiques démographiques des groups (r_pb = .65). L’étude indique en général que l'individu avec une propension à l'addiction répond à un ensemble de tendances cognitives qui permettent de rationnaliser son comportement autodestructeur. En conclusion sont débattues les implications et les possibilités pour de futures recherches.

Mots clés: addiction, comportement compulsif, raisonnement conditionel, cognitions implicites.

RESUMEN

Los fundamentos cognitivos de la adicción

Desarrollamos una nueva medida de razonamiento condicional, con el fin de evaluar las bases implícitas que sostienen el comportamiento adictivo. En 2005 fueron recopilados unos datos (N = 669) de dos muestras provenientes de zonas suburbanas: individuos cuya dependencia de sustancias químicas ha sido reconocida e individuos que representan a la población en general. Los resultados del estudio indican que existe una fuerte correlación entre los miembros de cada grupo y sus resultados en las pruebas (r_pb = .48), correlación cuya fuerza aumenta al igualarse (r_pb = .65) las características demográficas de los grupos. El estudio indica en general que el individuo propenso a la adicción responde a un conjunto de tendencias cognitivas que permiten racionalizar su comportamiento autodestructivo. En conclusión se discuten las implicaciones y las posibilidades para investigaciones futuras.

Palabras clave: adicción, comportamiento compulsivo, razonamiento condicional, cogniciones implícitas.

Keywords :

• addiction
• compulsive behavior
• conditional reasoning
• implicit cognitions

THE AUTHORS

Jennifer L. Bowler is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at East Carolina University. She received her doctorate in 2006 from the University of Tennessee. Her research focuses on the development of alternative measures of personality, as well as the influence of particular dispositional characteristics (e.g., addiction, aggression) on workplace outcomes.

Mark C. Bowler is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at East Carolina University. He received his doctorate in 2006 from the University of Tennessee. His research is focused on the development of conditional reasoning measures and the contrasts between implicit and explicit measures of personality.

As a leading researcher in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, Lawrence R. James has been active in building new measurement systems for personality and in studying the effects of organizational environments on individual adaptation, motivation, and productivity. His statistical contributions have been designed to make possible tests of new models in areas such as organization climate, leadership, and personnel selection.