This article examines different theories of drug addiction: goal-directed choice driven by drug value in negative states, habit driven by stimulus-response associations, and compulsion driven by insensitivity to costs. Evidence from both animals and humans is evaluated. The excessive goal theory finds support through the association of dependence severity with greater drug choice and economic demand. Habit theory has weaker support, as habitual behavior in drug-exposed animals does not align with complex decision scenarios or rewarded responses. Compulsion theory also has weak support, as the persistence of punished drug-seeking is better explained by drug value rather than insensitivity to costs. Overall, the data suggest that human addiction is primarily driven by excessive goal-directed drug choice during negative affect, with less influence from habit or compulsion. Addiction becomes pathological when negative states overpower abstinence goals by increasing the expected value of drugs.
This course is based on the reading-based online article, Addiction Is Driven by Excessive Goal-directed Drug Choice Under Negative Affect: created by Lee Hogarth, PhD in 2020.
Publication Date:
1st Edition Jan 2020
Course Material Author
Lee Hogarth, PhD
Dr. Hogarth is an Associate Professor at the University of Exeter. His research focuses on risk factors, treatment mechanisms and epistemic harms in addiction psychology. He has published more than 100 works in peer reviewed journals.
Lee Hogarth, PhD authored the material only, and was not involved in creating this CE course. They are identified here for your own evaluation of the relevancy of the material this course is based on.
Allison Brown holds a BS degree in Criminal Justice with a Psychology focus and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who currently works at a Long-Term Insurance company bringing clinical experience to claim processes. Additionally, she developed and continues to lead the Continuing Education Program for Social Workers and Nurses and often leads complex process improvement projects Prior to this, her primary focus was in mental health and worked in both the outpatient and inpatient settings providing support to adults with mental illness.
Recommended For:
Counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists and social workers. This course is appropriate for all levels of knowledge.
Course Objectives:
After taking this course, you should be able to:
Describe the concept of goal-directed drug choice in negative affective states as a potential driver of drug addiction and its association with dependence severity.
Summarize the role of habit theory in drug addiction, including its limitations in explaining human addictive behavior compared to animal studies and complex decision scenarios.
Examine the weak support for compulsion theory in drug addiction, considering the influence of drug value and the limited evidence for insensitivity to costs..
Disclosure to Learners
Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships
CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited
Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity –
including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial
relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests).
The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity's planners, faculty, and
the reviewer:
Planners and Reviewers
The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.
Allison Brown, LCSW 149014591 – No relevant financial relationships.
Commercial support
There is no commercial support for this distance-learning course.
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