Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
Published on: August 18, 2020
Cognitive bias and drug craving in recreational cannabis users
Matt Field1, Karin Mogg, Brendan P Bradley
1Centre for the Study of Emotion and Motivation, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK. m.j.field@soton.ac.uk
Abstract:
Recent theories propose that repeated drug use is associated with attentional and evaluative biases for drug-related stimuli, and that these cognitive biases are related to individual differences in subjective craving. This study investigated cognitive biases for cannabis-related cues in recreational cannabis users. Seventeen regular cannabis users and 16 non-users completed a visual probe task which assessed attentional biases for cannabis-related words, and an implicit association test (IAT) which assessed implicit positive or negative associations for cannabis-related words. Results from the IAT indicated more negative associations for cannabis-related words in non-users compared to users. Among cannabis users, those with high levels of cannabis craving had a significant attentional bias for cannabis-related words on the visual probe task, but those with low levels of craving did not. Results highlight the role of craving in attentional biases for cannabis-related stimuli.
Related Concept Videos
Drug Dependence
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
CNS Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines and Cannabinoids
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Stimulants
Cocaine can be administered via snorting, injection, or smoking. It primarily functions by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, resulting in a euphoric high characterized by an intense sensation of happiness and...
An Overview of Psychoactive Drugs
Stimulants such as cocaine, amphetamines, and nicotine enhance brain activity, leading to increased alertness, attention, and energy. These drugs typically raise heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. While they can induce feelings of euphoria, their misuse can result in severe health...

