AU PSYC 304 FINAL 4 2026 STUDY GUIDE
COMPLETE PSYCHOLOGY CONCEPTS AND
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
◉ Long-term changes in signalling. Answer: Repeated drug exposure
can produce changes in neural signalling and synaptic plasticity.
Tolerance: Reduced response to a drug after repeated use, requiring
higher doses to produce the same effect.
- Can be metabolic (liver becomes more efficient metabolizing the
drug) or functional (e.g., decrease in number of receptors, reduced
receptor sensitivity, etc.)
Sensitization: Increased response to a drug after repeated exposure,
where the same dose produces stronger effects over time. - opposite
scenario - same dose produces stronger effects overtime
- Often associated with changes in dopamine signalling and synaptic
plasticity - synapse kind of becomes more efficient
Both can happen at the same time - that being sensitization and
tolerance
,◉ Dependence, Withdrawal, and Craving. Answer: Dependence: The
body adapts to the presence of a drug so that normal functioning
requires continued use. - can lead to withdrawal
- Dual dependence: addiction to the effects of the interaction of two
drugs (e.g., cocaine and alcohol produce cocaethylene which
increases addiction risk). - 2 drugs at same time
- Withdrawal: Set of physical or psychological symptoms that occur
when drug use stops or is reduced in a dependent individual.
- Craving: A strong desire or urge to take a drug, often triggered by
cues, stress, or withdrawal symptoms.
◉ Withdrawal. Answer: - Rebound reaction to elimination of the
drug from the system after repeated exposure. - stop taking/take
much less
- Symptoms are often opposite to the drug's effects.
- Repeated drug use leads the body and brain to make compensatory
changes to counteract the drug's effects (tolerance). - ex. Sleeping
pills become dependent on that drug but if stop taking harder to
sleep again
- When the drug is removed, these compensatory changes persist
temporarily, producing withdrawal symptoms.
,- Additional drug use can temporarily alleviate withdrawal
symptoms. - easiest way to alleviate is to take drug again
- Individuals who experience withdrawal when drug use stops are
said to have physical dependence.
◉ Conditioned tolerance. Answer: - Pavlovian conditioning can
influence tolerance and withdrawal.
- Drug related cues (e.g., environment, paraphernalia, people)
become associated with drug effects. - any cue related to the drug
will be associated with the effect of the drug
- These cues can trigger conditioned compensatory responses.
- Taking the usual drug dose in a new environment can increase
overdose risk because conditioned tolerance responses are absent. -
people start responding to effect of drug just when cues become
present - not even when drug is in the system
- Conditioned withdrawal: Withdrawal elicited by the drug
environment or drug associated cues. - even when drug not present
◉ Drug use. Answer: - Humans have used psychoactive substances
for thousands of years across many cultures.
- Many animal species also consume naturally occurring
psychoactive substances found in plants, fungi, or fermented foods.
, - Motivations for drug use include pleasure, curiosity, spiritual
experiences, social bonding, and coping with stress or pain.
- These substances can produce pleasurable feelings of reward,
relaxation, and altered perception. - related to reward pathways
- Many drugs are regulated because they pose risks for abuse and
addiction.
- Repeated use can create states that reinforce continued drug use.
Video - Bryan Lewis Saunders drew himself under the influence of a
variety of substances (medication and recreational) - can see how
drugs can distort images/creativity
◉ Cannabis. Answer: "Marijuana"
- Mainly derived from plant Cannabis sativa.
- Used for thousand of years (~6000 thousand years in China,
recognized in the West in 19th century).
Active ingredients include: most famous ones/main ones
- 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produces the psychoactive effect -
the one responsible for psychoactive effects
COMPLETE PSYCHOLOGY CONCEPTS AND
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
◉ Long-term changes in signalling. Answer: Repeated drug exposure
can produce changes in neural signalling and synaptic plasticity.
Tolerance: Reduced response to a drug after repeated use, requiring
higher doses to produce the same effect.
- Can be metabolic (liver becomes more efficient metabolizing the
drug) or functional (e.g., decrease in number of receptors, reduced
receptor sensitivity, etc.)
Sensitization: Increased response to a drug after repeated exposure,
where the same dose produces stronger effects over time. - opposite
scenario - same dose produces stronger effects overtime
- Often associated with changes in dopamine signalling and synaptic
plasticity - synapse kind of becomes more efficient
Both can happen at the same time - that being sensitization and
tolerance
,◉ Dependence, Withdrawal, and Craving. Answer: Dependence: The
body adapts to the presence of a drug so that normal functioning
requires continued use. - can lead to withdrawal
- Dual dependence: addiction to the effects of the interaction of two
drugs (e.g., cocaine and alcohol produce cocaethylene which
increases addiction risk). - 2 drugs at same time
- Withdrawal: Set of physical or psychological symptoms that occur
when drug use stops or is reduced in a dependent individual.
- Craving: A strong desire or urge to take a drug, often triggered by
cues, stress, or withdrawal symptoms.
◉ Withdrawal. Answer: - Rebound reaction to elimination of the
drug from the system after repeated exposure. - stop taking/take
much less
- Symptoms are often opposite to the drug's effects.
- Repeated drug use leads the body and brain to make compensatory
changes to counteract the drug's effects (tolerance). - ex. Sleeping
pills become dependent on that drug but if stop taking harder to
sleep again
- When the drug is removed, these compensatory changes persist
temporarily, producing withdrawal symptoms.
,- Additional drug use can temporarily alleviate withdrawal
symptoms. - easiest way to alleviate is to take drug again
- Individuals who experience withdrawal when drug use stops are
said to have physical dependence.
◉ Conditioned tolerance. Answer: - Pavlovian conditioning can
influence tolerance and withdrawal.
- Drug related cues (e.g., environment, paraphernalia, people)
become associated with drug effects. - any cue related to the drug
will be associated with the effect of the drug
- These cues can trigger conditioned compensatory responses.
- Taking the usual drug dose in a new environment can increase
overdose risk because conditioned tolerance responses are absent. -
people start responding to effect of drug just when cues become
present - not even when drug is in the system
- Conditioned withdrawal: Withdrawal elicited by the drug
environment or drug associated cues. - even when drug not present
◉ Drug use. Answer: - Humans have used psychoactive substances
for thousands of years across many cultures.
- Many animal species also consume naturally occurring
psychoactive substances found in plants, fungi, or fermented foods.
, - Motivations for drug use include pleasure, curiosity, spiritual
experiences, social bonding, and coping with stress or pain.
- These substances can produce pleasurable feelings of reward,
relaxation, and altered perception. - related to reward pathways
- Many drugs are regulated because they pose risks for abuse and
addiction.
- Repeated use can create states that reinforce continued drug use.
Video - Bryan Lewis Saunders drew himself under the influence of a
variety of substances (medication and recreational) - can see how
drugs can distort images/creativity
◉ Cannabis. Answer: "Marijuana"
- Mainly derived from plant Cannabis sativa.
- Used for thousand of years (~6000 thousand years in China,
recognized in the West in 19th century).
Active ingredients include: most famous ones/main ones
- 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produces the psychoactive effect -
the one responsible for psychoactive effects
