Genetic Explanations of Addiction
Psychology: AQA A Level, topic 17.1.12
Genetic Explanations of Alcoholism
It has been suggested that there is a genetic component to addiction. If one’s biological parents or siblings have addictions, one is more likely to develop an addiction.
Twin study: alcoholism
- Sayette & Hufford (1997) examined alcohol addiction concordance rates in twins.
- They determined that identical (monozygotic) twins had higher concordance rates for alcoholism than non-identical (dizygotic) twins.
- In other words, if one identical twin was an alcoholic, there was a high probability that the other twin was also an alcoholic.
Evaluation
- This means there must be some genetic contribution to addiction.
- But to be clear, the concordance rates in identical twins was not 100%. So there must be some environmental role.
- Finally, it is not certain whether or not this conclusion can be applied to other addictions like gambling or smoking.
Adoption study: alcoholism
- Goodwin et al. (1973) studied adopted males and the rates of alcoholism in their adopted parents.
- Their results demonstrated that adopted males, whose biological parents suffered from alcoholism, were four times as likely to also suffer from alcoholism.
- This rate is compared to those whose biological parents did not have an alcohol addiction.
Evaluation
- Again, there is likely to be a genetic component to alcoholism.
- But like the Sayette and Hufford (1997) study, the role of the environment is unclear, as well as whether or not these conclusions can be applied to other addictions.
Genetic Explanation of Gambling Addiction
It has been suggested that there is a genetic component to addiction. If someone’s biological parents or siblings have addictions, someone is more likely to develop an addiction.
Twin study: gambling addiction
- Slutske (2010) examined 5,000 participants.
- She compared the concordance rates for gambling addiction in monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (non-identical) twins.
Findings
- Slutske found that the concordance rates in monozygotic twins were twice that of the rates in dizygotic twins.
- In other words, if one monozygotic twin had a gambling addiction, the other one was more likely to have one than if there were dizygotic twins.
- So there must be a genetic basis for gambling addictions.
Susceptibility
- Slutske did identify the fact that gambling addiction may not only be the result of genetics.
- She concluded that other factors may be involved.
- The genetic component may only make people more susceptible to gambling addiction.
Other factors
- Other factors, such as social learning, may cause the person to then develop the addiction.
- No discussion was made regarding other forms of addiction such as drug addiction or alcoholism.
- Subsequently, these conclusions may not apply.
Test yourself on Genetic Explanations of Addiction
Goodwin et al. (1973) found that adopted males, whose biological parents suffered from alcoholism, were how many times as likely to also suffer from alcoholism?
What factor might contribute to gambling addiction?
Slutske's study can only be applied to which kind of addiction?