Goldberg Chapter 3 
Motivations for Drug Use
30% A. Curiosity 
0% 
37% 
33% 
0% 
B. Boredom 
C. Escape 
D. Social 
E. Rebellion
 We all do things we know we shouldn’t do. 
Why? 
 Characteristics of drugs can reinforce their 
use 
◦ Altered states of consciousness 
 Societal, community, and family factors play 
an important role in whether an individual 
tries a drug 
 Drug factors play an important role in 
whether an individual continues to use a 
drug
 Experimentation: 
◦ Especially among young people, curiosity is a 
natural phenomenon that easily leads to 
experimentation 
 Pleasure/Escape from Boredom: 
◦ An individual who is bored will engage in 
something pleasurable to relieve the boredom 
◦ Drugs used to increase pleasure or reduce boredom 
provide positive reinforcement 
◦ Drugs taken to alleviate discomfort provide 
negative reinforcement
 Peer Influence: 
◦ Many young people use drugs to gain peer 
acceptance or approval 
◦ Basic values, life goals, and aspirations still are 
influenced more by parents 
 Spiritual Purposes: 
◦ People have used drugs to communicate with 
something or someone greater than themselves 
◦ Psychoactive plants have roles in many religious 
and spiritual practices
 Self-Discovery: 
◦ Drugs sometimes are used to fill a void in one’s life 
 Social Interaction: 
◦ Drugs are used to facilitate interactions with others 
◦ Certain social groups determine how a drug is used 
 Rebelliousness: 
◦ Young people rebel against the conventions of 
society, including warnings about drugs
◦ Community, parental, 
and peer attitudes 
and behaviors 
◦ Antisocial/problem 
behaviors 
◦ Poor school 
performance 
◦ Perception that use is 
prevalent
◦ Involvement in religious activities 
◦ Commitment to school, 
involvement in extracurricular 
activities 
◦ Perceived risk 
of drug use 
◦ Parents as social 
support
 U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services: Addiction is a “chronic, life-threatening 
condition that has roots in 
genetic susceptibility, social circumstance 
and personal behavior” 
 No single theory adequately covers every 
aspect of drug addiction – elements of 
various theories provide insight into drug 
addiction
 Delayed behavioral or emotional development 
may be a factor in substance abuse 
 Personality characteristics associated with drug 
abuse: 
◦ Low self-esteem 
◦ Poor interpersonal skills 
◦ Need for immediate gratification 
◦ Defiant feelings toward authority 
◦ Little tolerance for anxiety, frustration, and depression 
◦ Impulsivity 
◦ Risk taking 
◦ Low regard for personal health
A. Impulsivity 
B. Lack of 
intelligence 
C. Need for 
immediate 
gratification 
D. Defiance 
3% 3% 3% 
Impulsivity 
Lack of intelligence 
Need for immediate grati... 
Defiance 
90%
 Reinforcers are stimuli or events that increase the 
likelihood of a particular behavior 
 Primary reinforcers reduce physiological needs or are 
inherently pleasurable; examples are food, water, and 
sex 
 Secondary reinforcers act as signals for the increased 
probability of obtaining primary reinforcers; example: 
money 
 Drugs can be primary or secondary reinforcers
A. Things that 
reward us 
B. Things that are 
correlated with 
drug use 
C. Things that 
make a behavior 
more likely 
10% 
Things that reward us 
Things that make a beha... 
Things that are correlate... 
83% 
7%
 Biological theory is a view of addiction 
holding that it is based on genetics and 
metabolic imbalances 
 Genetic theory: a person is predisposed to 
drug addiction, including addiction to 
alcohol, by hereditary influence 
 Metabolic imbalance: Narcotics help addicts 
stabilize the metabolic deficiency caused by 
absence of the drug
A. The biology of 
the individual 
B. Genetics 
C. Metabolic 
imbalances 
D. All of the above 
The biology of the indivi... 
Genetics 
Metabolic imbalances 
All of the above 
3% 
97% 
0% 0%
 Social theory is the hypothesis that drug use 
is determined by cultural and social 
influences 
 Rewards of drug use may be derived from 
groups and others with whom we associate 
 Drug abuse may arise from antisocial 
behavior 
 Social theory does not explain drug addiction
A. Attribute drug 
use to cultural 
and social 
influences 
B. Explain the 
phenomenon of 
addiction 
C. Discount the 
importance of 
family influence 
Explain the phenomenon .. 
Attribute drug use to cu... 
Discount the importance .. 
89% 
0% 
11%
A. Male 
B. Female 
Male 
48% 
Female 
52%
59% A. Yes 
7% 
33% 
0% 
B. No 
C. In some situations 
D. I don’t really know
 The impact of the media on drug use is hard 
to determine 
 Many forms of 
mass media feature 
drugs: 
◦ Movies 
◦ Advertisements 
◦ Billboards 
◦ Television 
◦ Music 
◦ Celebrities
 1. Discuss what factors are most important in one’s 
decision to use or not use alcohol, tobacco, and/or 
illegal drugs. 
 2. Peers are cited frequently as an important 
influence on whether one uses drugs. At what age is 
the influence of peers most significant? Are males or 
females more affected by peer influence? 
 3. The depiction of alcohol use and smoking is 
prominent in movies, music videos, and television 
shows. Do you feel that alcohol use and smoking 
rates are affected by how alcohol and smoking are 
shown in videos? If yes, would you try to ban all 
alcohol and tobacco use in the media?

Goldberg Chapter 3

  • 1.
    Goldberg Chapter 3 Motivations for Drug Use
  • 2.
    30% A. Curiosity 0% 37% 33% 0% B. Boredom C. Escape D. Social E. Rebellion
  • 3.
     We alldo things we know we shouldn’t do. Why?  Characteristics of drugs can reinforce their use ◦ Altered states of consciousness  Societal, community, and family factors play an important role in whether an individual tries a drug  Drug factors play an important role in whether an individual continues to use a drug
  • 4.
     Experimentation: ◦Especially among young people, curiosity is a natural phenomenon that easily leads to experimentation  Pleasure/Escape from Boredom: ◦ An individual who is bored will engage in something pleasurable to relieve the boredom ◦ Drugs used to increase pleasure or reduce boredom provide positive reinforcement ◦ Drugs taken to alleviate discomfort provide negative reinforcement
  • 5.
     Peer Influence: ◦ Many young people use drugs to gain peer acceptance or approval ◦ Basic values, life goals, and aspirations still are influenced more by parents  Spiritual Purposes: ◦ People have used drugs to communicate with something or someone greater than themselves ◦ Psychoactive plants have roles in many religious and spiritual practices
  • 6.
     Self-Discovery: ◦Drugs sometimes are used to fill a void in one’s life  Social Interaction: ◦ Drugs are used to facilitate interactions with others ◦ Certain social groups determine how a drug is used  Rebelliousness: ◦ Young people rebel against the conventions of society, including warnings about drugs
  • 8.
    ◦ Community, parental, and peer attitudes and behaviors ◦ Antisocial/problem behaviors ◦ Poor school performance ◦ Perception that use is prevalent
  • 9.
    ◦ Involvement inreligious activities ◦ Commitment to school, involvement in extracurricular activities ◦ Perceived risk of drug use ◦ Parents as social support
  • 13.
     U.S. Departmentof Health and Human Services: Addiction is a “chronic, life-threatening condition that has roots in genetic susceptibility, social circumstance and personal behavior”  No single theory adequately covers every aspect of drug addiction – elements of various theories provide insight into drug addiction
  • 14.
     Delayed behavioralor emotional development may be a factor in substance abuse  Personality characteristics associated with drug abuse: ◦ Low self-esteem ◦ Poor interpersonal skills ◦ Need for immediate gratification ◦ Defiant feelings toward authority ◦ Little tolerance for anxiety, frustration, and depression ◦ Impulsivity ◦ Risk taking ◦ Low regard for personal health
  • 15.
    A. Impulsivity B.Lack of intelligence C. Need for immediate gratification D. Defiance 3% 3% 3% Impulsivity Lack of intelligence Need for immediate grati... Defiance 90%
  • 16.
     Reinforcers arestimuli or events that increase the likelihood of a particular behavior  Primary reinforcers reduce physiological needs or are inherently pleasurable; examples are food, water, and sex  Secondary reinforcers act as signals for the increased probability of obtaining primary reinforcers; example: money  Drugs can be primary or secondary reinforcers
  • 17.
    A. Things that reward us B. Things that are correlated with drug use C. Things that make a behavior more likely 10% Things that reward us Things that make a beha... Things that are correlate... 83% 7%
  • 18.
     Biological theoryis a view of addiction holding that it is based on genetics and metabolic imbalances  Genetic theory: a person is predisposed to drug addiction, including addiction to alcohol, by hereditary influence  Metabolic imbalance: Narcotics help addicts stabilize the metabolic deficiency caused by absence of the drug
  • 19.
    A. The biologyof the individual B. Genetics C. Metabolic imbalances D. All of the above The biology of the indivi... Genetics Metabolic imbalances All of the above 3% 97% 0% 0%
  • 21.
     Social theoryis the hypothesis that drug use is determined by cultural and social influences  Rewards of drug use may be derived from groups and others with whom we associate  Drug abuse may arise from antisocial behavior  Social theory does not explain drug addiction
  • 22.
    A. Attribute drug use to cultural and social influences B. Explain the phenomenon of addiction C. Discount the importance of family influence Explain the phenomenon .. Attribute drug use to cu... Discount the importance .. 89% 0% 11%
  • 23.
    A. Male B.Female Male 48% Female 52%
  • 24.
    59% A. Yes 7% 33% 0% B. No C. In some situations D. I don’t really know
  • 25.
     The impactof the media on drug use is hard to determine  Many forms of mass media feature drugs: ◦ Movies ◦ Advertisements ◦ Billboards ◦ Television ◦ Music ◦ Celebrities
  • 26.
     1. Discusswhat factors are most important in one’s decision to use or not use alcohol, tobacco, and/or illegal drugs.  2. Peers are cited frequently as an important influence on whether one uses drugs. At what age is the influence of peers most significant? Are males or females more affected by peer influence?  3. The depiction of alcohol use and smoking is prominent in movies, music videos, and television shows. Do you feel that alcohol use and smoking rates are affected by how alcohol and smoking are shown in videos? If yes, would you try to ban all alcohol and tobacco use in the media?

Editor's Notes

  • #4 Motives for Drug Use 1. Personal and social variables such as identifying with a deviant subculture increase the likelihood of drug use. 2. Rebellious behavior can serve as a way to demand attention or to make a particular impression. 3. Drug use may be reinforced by the effects of the drug. 4. Drug users are often seeking an altered state of consciousness. 5. Societal, community, and family factors play an important role in determining whether a person tries a drug, but the individual’s experiences with a drug become more important with increasing use.
  • #5 We all do things that we know, logically, we should not do Eating too much Driving too fast Drinking too much Identification with a deviant subculture is a key factor Fads and cultural trends influence what drugs are used Characteristics of drugs can reinforce their use Altered states of consciousness Societal, community, and family factors play an important role in whether an individual tries a drug Drug factors play an important role in whether an individual continues to use a drug Motives for Drug Use 1. Personal and social variables such as identifying with a deviant subculture increase the likelihood of drug use. 2. Rebellious behavior can serve as a way to demand attention or to make a particular impression. 3. Drug use may be reinforced by the effects of the drug. 4. Drug users are often seeking an altered state of consciousness. 5. Societal, community, and family factors play an important role in determining whether a person tries a drug, but the individual’s experiences with a drug become more important with increasing use.
  • #8  Risk and Protective Factors 1. Risk factors are correlated with higher rates of drug use. 2. Risk factors for drug use include having friends who use drugs, engaging in fighting or stealing, perceiving that substance use is prevalent at school, knowing adults who use drugs, and having a positive attitude towards drugs. 3. The kids most likely to use marijuana frequently live in a rough neighborhood, have little parental monitoring, steal and get into fights, may not be involved in religious activities, and do poorly in school. 4. Protective factors are correlated with lower rates of drug use. 5. Protective factors for drug use include perceiving strong sanctions against drug use at school, having supportive parents, being committed to school, being involved in religious activities, and participating in two or more extracurricular activities. 6. Overall, studies of risk and protective factors suggest that adolescents who are more likely to smoke cigarettes, drink heavily, and smoke marijuana are also more likely to engage in other deviant behaviors, such as stealing, fighting, and early sexual behaviors.
  • #14 What do “addicts” look like? What drug do they take or what behavior do they engage in (alcohol, cigarettes, illicit drugs, food, sex, gambling, shopping, computer time)? How much time do they spend on their habit? How much of a drug do they take? How do you decide on the definition of dependence? Three basic processes Tolerance Physical dependence Psychological dependence Diminished effect on the body after repeated use of the same drug The body develops ways to compensate for the chemical imbalance caused by the drug Regular drug users may build up tolerance to the extent that their dosage would kill a novice user Physical dependence is defined by the occurrence of a withdrawal syndrome Tolerance typically precedes physical dependence If drug use is stopped suddenly, withdrawal symptoms occur, ranging from mild to severe Physical dependence means the body has adapted to the drug’s presence Psychological or behavioral dependence High frequency of drug use Craving for the drug Tendency to relapse after stopping use Behavior is reinforced by the consequences Over time, this becomes the biggest reason users report they continue to use Early medical model = true addiction involves physical dependence; key is treatment of withdrawal symptoms Positive reinforcement model = drugs can reinforce behavior without physical dependence Psychological dependence is increasingly viewed as the driving force behind repeated drug use This refutes the sometimes common belief that drugs that aren’t as strongly physically addicting are less dangerous Some drugs are more likely than others to lead to dependence Method of use, as well as other factors, influences risk of dependence The “war on drugs” reflects the perspective that drugs are themselves evil Is dependence due to biochemical or physiological actions in the brain? Still no way to scan the brain and know if a person has/had developed dependence Genetic physiological or biochemical markers have been sought as well, but none has proven reliable No way to know if the drug or the drug use changes a person’s personality Many other factors affect personality Sensation-seeking = a personality characteristic statistically associated with early substance use and abuse Alcohol dependence often exists within a dysfunctional family Evidence suggests that dysfunctional relationships play a role in dependence, but they aren’t the only factor Founders of AA characterized alcohol dependence as a disease Others argue that dependence doesn’t have all the characteristics of a disease There are ways to test and treat the effects of alcoholism but not the disease itself There is some disagreement over how to define disease as well Dependence is related to dysfunctions of: Biology Personality Social interactions
  • #21 Figure 3.4 A Medical College of Virginia study involving 949 female twin pairs found genetic factors to be more influential than environmental factors in smoking initiation and nicotine dependence. Likewise, a St. Louis University study of 3,356 male twin pairs found genetic factors to be more influential for dependence on nicotine and alcohol.
  • #26  An estimated $25 billion is spent on advertising tobacco, alcohol, and prescription drugs One study of alcohol marketing worldwide showed that young people are influenced by marketing Advertisements for cigarettes play on many themes, particularly independence After cigarette ads were prohibited from television in 1971, the void was filled with advertisements for smokeless tobacco