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Mr Leeming works at a local doctor's surgery - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 18 - 2021 - Paper 2
Question 18
Mr Leeming works at a local doctor's surgery. One of his responsibilities is to reduce the number of people in the local area who are addicted to nicotine. In order ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Mr Leeming works at a local doctor's surgery - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 18 - 2021 - Paper 2
Step 1
AO1: Describe Aversion Therapy
Answer
Aversion therapy is based on classical conditioning and aims to pair nicotine with an unpleasant response. In this therapy, individuals addicted to nicotine are instructed to smoke cigarettes rapidly over a short period. This rapid smoking induces a feeling of sickness, helping the addict associate that feeling with smoking. Over time, the goal is that seeing a cigarette will trigger feelings of nausea rather than pleasure, ultimately discouraging them from smoking.
Step 2
AO2: Apply Aversion Therapy to Mr. Leeming's Patients
Answer
The therapist should provide Mr. Leeming's small group of patients with cigarettes and instruct them to smoke them quickly. The intention is to condition these individuals to connect the act of smoking with the unpleasant feeling of sickness. After several sessions, it is expected that the patients will develop an aversion to cigarettes, leading them to avoid smoking in the future.
Step 3
AO3: Evaluate the Effectiveness of Aversion Therapy
Answer
Several studies support the efficacy of rapid smoking techniques in inducing aversive conditioning. For example, Danaher (1977) found that rapid smoking was effective for some smokers, though results varied among individuals. However, Russell et al. (1976) highlighted that using electric shocks as stimuli was effective for only about 65% of participants. This indicates potential limitations in aversion therapy, particularly concerning psychological factors that may not be addressed. Additionally, there is a risk that nicotine addiction may return after therapy if patients do not engage in further treatments to explore the underlying reasons for their addiction. Therefore, while aversion therapy may provide a quicker solution, its long-term effectiveness remains uncertain.