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A Prediction Error-driven Retrieval Procedure for Destabilizing and Rewriting Maladaptive Reward Memories in Hazardous Drinkers
Published on: January 5, 2018
Response inhibition moderates the relationship between implicit associations and drinking behavior.
Katrijn Houben1, Reinout W Wiers
1Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. k.houben@psychology.unimaas.nl
Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research
|February 3, 2009
Summary
Individuals with low response inhibition are more susceptible to alcohol-related problems when they have strong implicit associations with alcohol. Enhancing response inhibition may help control automatic drinking impulses.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Neuroscience of addiction
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Dual-process models suggest alcohol abuse stems from impulsive system dysfunctions and a reflective system unable to inhibit impulses.
- This study explores how individual differences in reflective system response inhibition influence the link between automatic processes and drinking behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if response inhibition moderates the relationship between implicit alcohol associations and drinking behavior.
- To examine the interaction between implicit alcohol associations and response inhibition in predicting alcohol use and problems.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-one university students completed an online study.
- Implicit alcohol associations were measured using the Implicit Association Test.
- Response inhibition was assessed with the Stroop task; alcohol use and problems were self-reported.
Main Results:
- Implicit associations were not linked to drinking behavior when response inhibition was high.
- Low response inhibition, coupled with stronger implicit alcohol-positive affect associations, predicted increased alcohol use and problems.
Conclusions:
- The connection between automatic cognitive processes and drinking behavior is moderated by individual response inhibition.
- Interventions aimed at increasing response inhibition may benefit alcohol abusers by improving control over automatic drinking impulses.
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