The traps of adaptation: Addiction as maladaptive referent-dependent evaluation

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Referent-dependent evaluation theories posit that context shapes stimulus value attribution.
• Understanding addiction through the lens of evaluation theories remains an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the implications of referent-dependent evaluation theories for understanding addiction.
• To frame addiction as a maladaptive referent-dependent evaluation process.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis and theoretical integration.
• Comparison with existing addiction theories (set point, associative learning).
• Alignment with neurobiological findings (striatal dopaminergic activity).

Main Results:

• Addiction may arise from an established excessive reference point due to repeated drug use.
• This perspective explains key addiction features: withdrawal, tolerance, craving, negative mood, and impaired stimulus discrimination.
• The model aligns with classical addiction theories and striatal dopaminergic activity patterns.

Conclusions:

• Referent-dependent evaluation offers a valuable framework for interpreting addiction.
• This approach may provide a general model for understanding motivation disorders.
• Further research can explore the therapeutic implications of this theoretical perspective.