2. Media Influences on Addictive Behaviour
The media communicates information about addictions (often inaccurately) and this can
affect people’s attitudes and behaviours towards them; as well as their ideas about the
risks of addiction.
The growth of the Internet means that information about addictions can now be spread
to large groups of people rapidly.
Films and music: Addictive behaviours are also shown through public exposure to role
models who promote dependency behaviours in films or in music. For example, drug
taking musicians or through “cult” films such as Trainspotting and Pulp Fiction.
An important feature of this is that such media sources are increasingly seen across the
world and this multiplies their potential impact. (SLT can be used to explain the link
between media and addictive behaviours).
AO1
3. Media Influences on Addictive Behaviour ~ p.12
Investigations by psychologists into the social learning effects of
the media seem to focus on three main areas: AO1
1. Does the media really influence addictive behaviour?
(e.g., through role models in films, etc) Yes or No?
2. What is the role of media (through advertising) in perpetuating addictive
behaviours?
3. Can the media serve a positive role in trying to
change addictive behaviours?
4. Group work activity:
1. You will now be allocated to a group.
2. Firstly, you must research one of the questions on
page 12 in Addiction Booklet 2.
3. Each student in the group must prepare their own mind
map for their question.
4. Each student in the group must write up a summary in
their own words (on page 16 in the booklet) to answer
their question.
5. You must present your best mind map and summary
to the rest of the class.
Media Influences on Addictive Behaviour
5. Representation of addiction
Sulkunen (2007) collected 140
scenes from 47 films
Films showed competence and
enjoyment of addictive
behaviours and contrasted this
with the DULLNESS of ordinary
life. Film: Human Traffic shows
the drug Ecstacy being used to
solve relationship problems.
Elaboration: This provides
evidence to show that films
portray addictive behaviours in a
positive way.
Gunasekera et al (2005) – reviewed 87 of the most
popular films from last 20 years.
Found various degrees of addiction to different
substances (including nicotine) and behaviours.
Drug use was portrayed positively with no negative
consequences.
Elaboration: This study shows that addictive
behaviours are shown in a positive light in the media.
Sergent + Hanewinkel (2009) Found a positive
correlation between exposure to smoking in films in
young people (11 -15) and later smoking behaviour.
Boyd (2008) argues that
films DO show the negative
consequences (e.g.,
physical deterioration).
Also, film makers in the US
are offered financial
incentives to portray drug
use in a negative way.
Byrne (1997) suggests that
films are important
because they perpetuate
stereotypes and inform
public awareness.
Elaboration: This means that films
may have the potential to influence
attitudes, opinions and behaviour,
which means that they could be
used in a positive way to benefit
society.
Guidelines relating to
showing the use of drugs in
films and on TV have now
been produced in the USA.
Elaboration: This demonstrates
that the depiction of addictive
behaviours in the media is now
seen as a serious issue.
6. Advertising addictive behaviours
Many forms of media are
used for Advertising: TV,
cinema, films, radio,
newspapers, magazines,
Internet.....
Advertising has been used
in two ways;
* To encourage the sales of tobacco and alcoholic
drinks (in the past) and also lottery cards etc…
* To promote Government health campaigns
such as anti-smoking, drink-driving crusades, etc.
Advertising may be an important
factor that influences the initial
decision of some people to start
gambling.
Why might this influence addictive
behaviours:
1. A huge amount of advertising
associated with Lotteries – across UK
and Europe..
2. Seen as “soft” gambling
3. Easy to buy lottery cards
4. Easy to access results (TV, Internet)
5. Linked to positive features of
winning (and not losing!) “It could be
you”
Advertising alcohol and
cigarettes seems to
increase awareness of
these products and shapes
attitudes, particularly in
younger people.
Chapman and Fitzgerald
(1982) found that under-
age smokers reported a
preference for heavily
advertised brands.
Elaboration: This shows the
powerful effects of
advertising in encouraging
addictive behaviours in
young people.
AO2 Commentary:
However, the effects of
advertising on alcohol
and cigarette
consumption and
gambling behaviour are
hard to measure.
But, the influence is
thought to be sufficiently
strong that legislation has
been introduced in the
UK to ban cigarette
advertising and to restrict
alcohol advertising.
7. The positive role of media
Media such as TV and the Internet
can be used to provide support for
addicts and to educate people about
the dangers of developing an
addiction.
Television is increasingly being used
to promote healthy lifestyles and
behaviour change, such as smoking
cessation and the positive effects of
physical exercise.
Television - Support for Problem Drinking?
A TV series ‘Psst....the really useful guide to
alcohol (1989, BBC), was evaluated by
Bennett et al (1991).
Viewers were compared with matched
controls who did not watch the series.
Although the results showed an
improvement in alcohol-related knowledge,
they did not show any change in attitude or
in actual alcohol consumption.
Kramer et al (2009) assessed
the effectiveness of Drinking
Less? Do it yourself! A 5-week
TV self-help programme
designed to reduce problem
drinking in the Netherlands.
They found that the
intervention group was more
successful than a control group
in achieving low-risk (rather
than high-risk drinking
problems), a difference that
was maintained at a three-
month follow up.
Anti-drug campaigns
In 2008, a television and internet
advertising campaign was launched
in the UK to warn teenagers of the
dangers of cocaine use.
Elaboration: Although we might
expect such dramatic
representations to work, evidence
about the effectiveness of such
campaigns is far from conclusive
and calls into question the
effectiveness of the media in
changing people’s attitudes towards
addiction.
Hornik et al (2008)
suggests two main reasons
why this media campaign
failed. Given all the anti-
drug messages to which
youths are exposed, and
the fact that the messages
in the campaign were not
particularly novel, it is
unsurprising that the
effects are minimal.
Anti-drug advertising
contains an implicit
message that drug use is
commonplace (it
“normalises” drug use) and
Johnston et al (2002) found
that youths who saw the
campaign ads, took from
them the message that
their peers were using
marijuana, and were then
more likely to imitate
marijuana use themselves
(SLT).
8. Discuss the effects of the media
on addictive behaviour
1. Does the media really influence addictive
behaviour?
2. What is the role of the media in perpetuating
addictive behaviours?
3. Can the media serve a positive role in trying
to change addictive behaviours?
9. Media Influences on Addictive Behaviour~ p.17
A further problem...............
A later development, which now appears to be an increasing
problem in this area, is an addiction to the media itself. People
are becoming addicted to the ever-increasing provision of media
formats, including;
* interactive computer games
* on-line gambling sites
* Facebook
* mobile phone
A clinic in the Netherlands which treats drug and alcohol addicts,
is now increasingly treating computer gamers with exactly the
same treatment methods used for people with a substance
addiction.
AO2
10. Media Influences on Addictive Behaviour~ p.17
Supporting evidence:
Kimberley (2006) found that social medias are addictive in themselves,
leading to increased usage to sustain “highs” and increased anxiety without
periodic access. Even minor exposure can create physical and psychological
dependence, suggesting social media addiction (SMA) is a real and problematic
condition. How long can you go without your mobile phone before you feel
anxious?
Farber (2007) reported that SMA is an increasing problem at work, with many
employees feeling persistent need to access social media sites, suggesting that
such behaviour seriously affects performance.
Walther (1999) reported on the increase in communication addiction disorder
(CAD). This is where the disinhibition of the Internet makes it attractive to
people who have difficulties establishing and maintaining normal social
relationships. CAD creates serious disturbances in psychosocial functioning and
in people’s ability to maintain positive work practices, illustrating the negative
influence of the media on vulnerable individuals.
AO2
11. Media Influences on Addictive Behaviour~ p.17
Commentary:
Most of the research in this area (SMA and CAD) is relatively
recent and further research still needs to be conducted to
assess the full impact of media addiction.
However, the easy access that the majority of people have to
the Internet, social media sites and mobile phones, means
that there is some concern among psychologists about the
potential for a significant increase in the number of people
showing addictive behaviours in the future.
AO2
12. Describe one way in which the
media may influence addictive
behaviour (4 marks)
Media Influences on Addictive Behaviour~ p.18
Remember.... You will have a “parted” question
on addiction – i.e., no 24 marks questions on this
topic on paper 4.
