Drugs, Deviance, + Social Control Exam 1

Social construction

concerns the meaning placed on an object, event or behavior by a society

Deviance

the fact or state of departing from usual or accepted standards especially in social or sexual behavior

Views of deviance surrounding drug use are highly influenced by what?

• drug of choice

• time

• place

• purpose

• user demographics

True or False? Alcohol consumption increased during the time known as prohibition — despite regulation, everyone was doing it

False

True or False? Alcohol consumption is currently at an all-time high

False

True or False? Drug use steadily increased during the 1980s which spurred the war on drugs

False

True or False? LSD consumption was at an all-time high during the 1960s 

False 

Socialization

lifelong social experience by which human develop their potential + learn culture

What are the key agents of socialization?

• family

• school

• peer group

• mass media

Environmental exposure

• exposure to drug users + the drugs themselves

• greater exposure + social attitudes shape individual ideas about use 

Age of initial exposure

often have an increased likelihood of acceptance of + engagement in thing we are exposed to early in life

Attitude change

• viewpoints aren’t stagnant

• changes in attitudes toward drug use are influential

What are the 4 factors that shape individual views + the likelihood of drug use?

• socialization

• environmental exposure

• age if initial exposure

• attitude change

What are the 4 factors that impact a drug user’s experience?

• biological

• cultural

• social

• contextual 

Biological factors

initial sensitivity, gender

Cultural factors

society view of a drug

Social factors

motivations

Contextual factors

how did I experience the drug

Biological, cultural, social, and contextual factors shape what?

experimentation + outcome

Attitudes + experiences = what?

continued use

Drugs

any substances that modify mind and/or body functioning

Psychoactive substances

drug compounds that affect the central nervous system + alter consciousness and/or perceptions 

Licit drugs

legal drugs

illicit drugs

illegal drugs

Examples of licit drugs

• alcohol

• tobacco

• marijuana

• prescription medication

Examples of illicit drugs

• heroin

• methamphetamine

• marijuana

• prescription medication 

Drug abuse

the habitual taking or misuse of addictive or illegal drugs

• outside of the prescribed recommendations 

Drug addiction

chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking

• despite the harmful consequences

• initial use is typically a voluntary decisions; over time, brain changes impeded self-control 

What are the common assumptions about drug users?

• lack moral principles

• lack willpower

• can choose to change their behavior 

Psychological dependence 

state that involves emotional-motivational withdrawal symptoms

• mental preoccupation

• craving the stimulation, elation

Physical dependence

occurs when the body becomes accustomed to the presence of a drug

What are Goode’s 4 types of drug use?

1) legal instrumental

2) legal recreational

3) illegal instrumental

4) illegal recreational

Legal instrumental

taking drugs as prescribed + for the intended purpose

• ex. ADHD meds

Legal recreational

taking licit drugs to achieve a certain mental or psychic state

• ex. drinking caffeine

Illegal instrumental

taking illicit drugs, w/out a prescription, to accomplish a specific task or goal

• performance enhancer drugs 

Illegal recreational

taking illicit drugs for fun or pleasure

• ex. heroin 

Prevalence rates

the number or percentage of people in the population who use a given drug during a designated time period 

What do prevalence rates tell us?

• use during a specified period of time

• can compare the commonness of use of different drugs during the same time span 

What can’t we understand based on prevalence rates?

a clear picture of problematic use

Continuance rates

for a given drug, a figure calculated by comparing the proportion of “at least one time” users who have also taken that drug within a more recent time period, usually either the past month of the past year 

Continuance Rates 

Large circle= ?

Small circle = ?

large circle = all people who have used

small circle = use in the last month 

What is the most popular illicit drug?

marijuana

What is the #1 used substance?

alcohol

Age of initiation

most people use drugs for the 1st time when they are teenagers

• initiate drug of choice alcohol, marijuana 

Prevalence of use, by age are highest amongst who? 

highest amongst young adults (18-24)

Gender

• drug use is higher for males than females

• overall rate of use is nearly double for males 

Race/Ethnicity - what is the highest to lowest percentage of use?

• black/african american

• white

• hispanic/latino

• asian

Education level

presents w/ an inverse relationship

• highest drug use amongst those that did not graduate high school

• DOES NOT hold for drinking 

Substance-induced disorder

immediate effects of use or discontinuation

Substance use disorder

combines the previous categories of substance abuse + substance dependence 

Continuum of severity

• mild = 2-3

• moderate = 4-5

• severe = 6+

The pharmacological perspective

the properties of drugs dictate drug-related behavior

Pharmacological effects → ?

social effects

The sociological perspective

societal conditions help define drugs, drug use, drug abuse + social ramifications 

The objective shapes what?

subjective

The moral model of addiction

people use + abuse drugs b/c they choose to

The medical/disease model of addiction + what are the assumptions

People abuse drugs b/c of some biologically caused condition

Assumes addiction is:

• a progressive disease; advances through stages

• chronic, long-term

• can be treated, not cured 

The psychological model of addiction

drugs are a coping mechanism + addiction is driven by psychological stress

The sociocultural model of addiction

familial, peer, and cultural influences play a primary role in substance abuse; need to examine the addict in relation to their environment

The biopsychosocial model of addiction 

many factors including biological, psychological, and sociological together can influence or cause addiction

Theoretical explanations of addiction: Biological

biological explanations for addiction often focus on genetics + align w/ the disease model of addiction 

• specific physical mechanisms → experimentation/abuse

• biological factors as the core contributing element according to biological theories

  • drugs as positive reinforcers

  • exposure theories 

Comorbidity

two or more disorders or illnesses occurring in the same person (at the same time or in succession) 

Theoretical explanations of addiction: Psychological 

psychological explanations for addiction focus on mental + emotional states

• theories fall into 2 categories

  • reinforcement theories

  • personality theories

Reinforcement theories

behavior is learned (positive or negative)

Personality theories

personality factors are a strong catalyst for use + abuse

• factor of focus varies 

Theoretical explanations of addiction: Sociological

focus on how factors external to the drug user impact drug use

• don’t examine the characteristics of the individual but of the situation, social relationships or social structural position 

• 2 types 

  • social influence theories

  • structural influence theories 

Social influence theories define + list the theories

focus on the roles of significant others; learning theories propose that behaviors are learned

• differential association theory

• social learning theory

• labeling theory

• subcultural learning theory

Differential association theory define + what impacts influence

it’s through associations that individuals learn values, attitudes + motivations for deviant behavior 

Impacts influence:

• Priority

  • how early in life did one form this association

• Duration

  • how long

• Frequency

  • how often does one come into contact

• Intensity

• Learned attitudes, techniques + opportunities → deviance 

Social learning theory

drug use is learned like other behaviors

• learning occurs though interaction w/ primary + secondary groups

  • attitudes + techniques + meanings = behavior

Labeling theory

explains the process by which people come to view themselves as deviant

Primary deviance

inconsequential, no lasting impression (often time not labeled)

Secondary deviance

develops when the individual begins to identify as deviant

Subcultural learning theory

• highlights the role of socialization by others + group influence

• drug subcultures have a normative code, elements of which are considered deviant in the broader society 

Structural influence theories define + list

these theories focus on how elements of the organization of society act as motivation and/or shape drug use behavior

• social disorganization theory 

• mertons anomie/strain theory

• agnew’s general strain theory

• social control/bonding theory 

Social disorganization theory

• social factors adversely affect individuals

• lack of integration + attachment to conventional action is key

Merton’s Anomie/strain theory

when societies are characterized by an imbalance in social order it creates conditions favorable to crime + deviance

Angew’s general strain theory

• builds from Merton’s theory

• Sources of strain:

  • 1) the failure to achieve goals

  • 2) the removal of positively valued stimuli that one already possesses

    • ex. death of a parent

  • 3) presentation w/ negatively valued stimuli

    • ex. abuse

Social control/bonding theory

• the more bonded you are the less likely you are to be a drug user

• attachment to others + commitment to goals + involvement in conventional means + beliefs = bonded within society 

• development of strong bonds to society will keep people from deviating 

Homeostasis

process whereby the body maintains balance while adjusting for these things

• property of a system that regulates its internal environment

• tends to maintain a stable, relatively constant condition of properties 

Homeostasis regulation

the process/adjustments made by your body, naturally w/out effort

• receptor

• control center

• effector 

internal adjustments facilitated by the release of regulatory chemicals 

Glia

non-neuronal cells that help maintain homeostasis

Neurons

nerve cells that conduct the homeostatic functions of the brain + other parts of the nervous system

Synapse define + what does the excitatory + inhibitory do 

point of communication between neurons

• excitatory = increased activity

• inhibitory = diminish/reduce activity 

Neurotransmitters

• the messengers sent by neurons

• brains chemical messengers 

Neuron to neuron communication 

networks of neurons pass messages back + forth among the structures in the brain, spinal cord + nerves 

Receptors

brains chemical receivers

Transporters

brains chemical recyclers

Drug receptors

• special proteins in the receiving neurons + other target cells

• help regulate activity in the cells in the nervous system + throughout the body 

What are the transmitters frequently associated w/ drug abuse?

• dopamine

• serotonin

• endorphins 

Agonistic effects

• interacts to produce some cellular response

• direct-binding; indirect-binding

Antagonistic effects

• interacts + prevents or hinders a response

• direct-acting; indirect-acting 

Reticular activating system (RAS)

controls the brains arousal

Basal ganglia

controls involuntary + finely tuned motor skills

Limbic system

emotional activity, memory

Cerebral cortex

receives sensory input

Insula

pleasure pathways, motivation 

Hypothalamus

regulates other elements of the nervous system

Autonomic nervous system

neurons of the ANS located within the brain+ spinal cord but project outside of the CNS (to involuntary muscles, organ, glands) 

What are the 2 functional components of the ANS?

• sympathetic

  • fight or flight

• parasympathetic 

  • rest + digest

The endocrine system

• consists of glands that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream

• regulates: 

  • metabolism

  • growth

  • tissue repair

  • sexual behavior