Cognitive Social Learning and Related Journal

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These include observable characteristics (Nathan, 1985, p.169) such as specific effects of drinking, quantities and lengths of time people drink, and environmental factors.

The article also emphasizes the degree in which this particular theory considers the very root cause of alcoholism. It discusses historical reasons attributed to the etiology of alcoholism, such as a stress reducer, and details some of the positive projections people associate alcohol consumption with. One of the most important points considered is the diagnosis of alcoholism, in which the author advocates a transactional diagnosis.

The article written by Kathryn Coronges et al., "Social network influences of alcohol and marijuana cognitive associations" discusses a research study designed to discern the influence of socialization on the consumption of mind altering substances. The study involved presenting a number of continuation high school students surveys to fill out during and upon the completion of a drug education program. The research study yielded some highly interesting results, such as the effects of implicit attitudes on these teenage students, which, in some cases, could actually contradict explicit attitudes and prove a bigger factor for determining behavior than the latter (Coronges et al., 2011, p. 1305).

Essentially, this research was seeking to ascertain the effects of peer pressure and peer-related cognition on the consumption of marijuana and alcohol -- with the premise being that peers have a strong influence on the behaviors and thoughts of others.
This fact was certainly confirmed by the results of the study, particularly for alcohol. Yet there was a much stronger correlation between the impact of peer influence for implicit thoughts and attitudes regarding these two substances rather than on the actual behavior that occurred as a result of those thoughts. This is due in no small part to the fact that there is a marked instability associated with implied attitudes and thoughts (particularly for teenagers) that does not necessarily apply to behavior. Significantly, the article attempts to explicate this particular point, and suggests that an accumulation of unstable or different thoughts may need to take place over an undefined amount of time before they are actuated. The article concludes by alluding to future research that could impact the conclusions found within it. One particular area of focus that could relate to the findings of this article would be to study the nature of transient thoughts and attitudes of people within social structures.

References

Coronges, K., Stacy, a.W., Valente, T.W. (2011). "Social network influences of alcohol and marijuana cognitive associations." Addictive Behaviors. 36: 1305-1308.

Nathan, P.E. (1985). "Alcoholism: a cognitive social learning approach." Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 2: 169-173.

Niaura, R. (2000). "Cognitive social learning….....

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