Conditioning history and the reinforcing effects of drugs: Comment on Alessi, Roll, Reilly, and Johanson (2002)

Research output: Contribution to journalShort surveypeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Drug reinforcement plays a central role in drug abuse. Drugs of abuse are unconditioned reinforcers whose functional effects are mediated through neuropharmacological mechanisms. The role of conditioning has received attention, but the focus has been on associations between environmental cues and unconditioned drug stimuli. Recent studies by C.-E. Johanson, A. Mattox, and C. R. Schuster (1995) and S. M. Alessi, J. M. Roll, M. P. Reilly, and C.-E. Johanson (2002) have demonstrated that drugs can also acquire functional control over human behavior through conditioning processes. Given the potent effects that conditioned reinforcers (e.g., money) can have on human behavior, studies by Johanson et al. and Alessi et al. should engender further examination of conditioning processes and drug reinforcement.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)92-95
Number of pages4
JournalExperimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
Volume10
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2002

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Pharmacology (medical)

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