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Andrews, Anita Singh (2008) Information processing of auditory and visual nicotine cues in smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. Doctoral thesis, London Metropolitan University.
Current theories of addiction propose that a selective information processing bias to drug cues occurs in drug dependence, and this plays an important role in sustaining addictive behaviour. The studies reported in the present investigation examined differences in information processing Of nicotine-related stimuli in smokers, ex-smokers, and non-smokers, using novel cognitive tasks which were specifically developed for this purpose. These tasks consisted Of a Visual Recognition Memory Task, a Visual Object Recognition Task, and a Dichotic Listening Task. It was hypothesized that smokers, and to a lesser extent, ex-smokers, would show enhanced processing Of drug related stimuli compared to non- smokers, as a result Of their drug history. The Visual Recognition Memory Task (VRM) involved brief presentation, and later recognition Of smoking related items embedded in a complex pictorial visual array. This task, as used in the current study, was unable to detect differences in information processing between the three groups. The Visual Object Recognition Task (VOR) consisted of presentation of sets Of photographic images Of either smoking-related or neutral objects. These image sets were presented on a computer screen at progressively increasing photographic resolution, until the participant indicated the photographic resolution at Which the image was identified. The results Of this study showed significantly enhanced visual recognition Of smoking related, compared to neutral, images by smokers, but not ex-smokers or non-smokers. 2 In the dichotic listening task (DLT), participants were simultaneously presented with aural smoking related or neutral stimuli in a forced choice, immediate recall presentation format. Results showed a significant 2-way interaction between stimulus type and group of participant, with a greater number Of smoking compared to neutral words recalled by smokers, and to a lesser extent, by ex-smokers. This difference was not observed in the non-smoking group. These results show evidence for an auditory information processing bias towards smoking related stimuli in smokers and ex-smokers. The findings Of the current research clearly demonstrate underlying differences in information processing of drug related information in drug users compared to controls, using original and replicable methods in a wide population of users and control participants. These new methods have potential clinical utility, and offer some significant advantages over Other currently used methods. Exploration of information processing biases in addiction using different experimental paradigms and different sensory modalities, can only increase our knowledge and understanding of their role in addictive behaviour.
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