Theory of addiction / Robert West with Ainsley Hardy.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 193-206) and index.

1. Introduction: journey to the centre of addiction -- In the beginning -- In the end -- What this book does -- The synthetic theory of addiction in brief --2. Definition, theory and observation -- Defining addiction (addiction is not an elephant) -- Views on what is addiction -- Diagnosing and measuring addiction -- Theory and supposition -- \'Big questions\' in the field of addiction -- Recapitulation -- 3. Beginning the journey : addiction as choice -- Addiction as rational, informed choice based on stable preferences -- Box 3.1 the myth of addiction -- Box 3.2 the theory of rational addiction -- Box 3.3 the self-medication model of addiction -- Box 3.4 opponent process theory -- Irrational, ill-informed choice and unstable preferences -- Rational ill-informed choice with unstable preferences : an addict\'s eye view -- Box 3.5 expectancy theories -- Box 3.6 Skog\'s choice theory -- Box 3.7 Slovic\'s \'affect heuristic\' -- Box 3.8 cognitive bias theories -- Box 3.9 behavioural economic theories -- Box 3.10 gateway theory -- Box 3.11 the transtheoretical model (TTM) of behaviour change -- Box 3.12 identity shifts and behaviour change -- Addiction as the exercise of choice based on desires --4. Choice is not enough : the concepts of impulse and self- -- Control -- Reports of feelings of compulsion -- Powerful motives versus impaired control -- Box 4.1 the disease model of addiction -- Personality and addiction typologies -- Box 4.2 tridimensional personality theory -- Self-efficacy -- Box 4.3 self-efficacy theory -- The transition from lapse to relapse -- Box 4.4 the abstinence violation effect -- Impulse control -- Box 4.5 inhibition dysregulation theory -- Self-regulation as a broadly based concept -- Box 4.6 self-regulation theory -- Urges and craving -- Box 4.7 a cognitive model of drug urges -- Addiction as a failure of self-control over desires and urges --5. Addiction, habit and instrumental learning -- Box 5.1 instrumental learning (operant conditioning) and addiction -- Mechanisms underpinning instrumental learning -- Box 5.2 the dopamine theory of drug reward -- Box 5.3 addiction arising from functional neurotoxicity of drugs -- Classical conditioning -- Box 5.4 classical conditioning and addiction -- More complex learning models -- Box 5.5 addiction as a learning/memory process -- Box 5.7 incentive sensitisation theory -- Box 5.8 Balfour\'s theory of differential drug effects within the nucleus accumbens social learning -- Box 5.9 social learning theory -- Associative learning -- 6. Addiction in populations and comprehensive theories -- Addiction in populations -- Box 6.1 diffusion theory -- Comprehensive theories of addiction -- Box 6.2 excessive appetites -- Box 6.3 the pathways model of pathological gambling -- What is addiction and how can we explain it? --7. Development of a comprehensive theory -- A reminder of what we are talking about -- Addiction as rational choice -- Addiction as irrational choice -- Addiction, compulsion and self-control -- Addiction, instrumental learning and habit -- Addiction, choice, compulsion and habit --8. A synthetic theory of motivation -- The human motivational system -- The five levels of motivation -- Momentum and inertia -- Ways in which past experience affects motivation -- The \'representational system\' and consciousness -- Self and self-control -- Mental effort and motivational resources -- What motivates us -- The unstable mind--Flat-bottomed valleys and rating scales -- 9. A theory of addiction -- Addiction is -- The pathologies underlying addiction -- Recommendations and predictions regarding addiction interventions -- Testing the theory--Conclusions.

Offering an overview and analysis of the major theories surrounding addiction and dependence, this text discusses topics such as environmental factors, theories of recovery and relapse and the future of addiction study.