UCL International Institute for Society and Health
2006 Seminar Series
You are invited to attend
Tuesday 31st January 5.00 pm
Professor Robert West
Director of Tobacco Studies,UCL/ Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour
Unit
'Towards a comprehensive theory of addiction'
Abstract
Addiction blights all our lives: whether it be through the societal
cost, as victims of crimes driven by addiction or as addicts
ourselves. Health inequalities are driven substantially by social
gradations in the degree of addiction to cigarettes, alcohol, other
drugs or gambling. There are many theories of addiction but,
surprisingly, none that encompass what even a cursory examination of
the phenomenon shows to be its key features. Part of the problem is
that a comprehensive theory of addiction needs to draw from a
similarly broad theory of motivation (why we do things) and no such
theory exists either.
This seminar launches a major new book that reviews existing theories
anddevelops from first principles a theory of motivation (PRIME
Theory) and applies it to addiction. The theory provides a common
framework for understanding conflicts that occur between what we are
impelled to do, what we want to do and what we believe we should do.
It describes the 'motivational system' as a multilevel system of
forces and argues that the dynamics of the system can be understood
in terms of 'chaos theory'. The theory has important implications for
population-level and clinical interventions.
Theory of Addiction’ Robert West.Blackwells ISBN number
1405113596
'This book is a tour de force, constructing step by step a wide-
ranging theory of addiction . . . After summarising and assessing
more than 30 previous theories, West draws on elements from
economics, sociology, pharmacology and biology, along with a core of
material from psychology, to put together a broad and testable theory
of how people move into and out of addiction, and how social forces
can affect this. The book will serve as a point of reference for
years tocome.' Robin Room, Professor and Director, Centre for Social
Research on Alcohol and Drugs (SoRAD), Stockholm University
Robert West is Editor-in-Chief of the top specialist journal
‘Addiction’ and has written more than 250 scientific works. He is
currently Director of Tobacco Studies at the Cancer Research UK
Health Behaviour Unit in the Department of Epidemiology and Public
Health, UCL. For further information see www.rjwest.co.uk
The seminar will be chaired by Professor Sir Michael Marmot
This seminar will be held at UCL
RSVP seminar attendance by 27/01/06
(indicating any special needs and for
directions to the seminar room)
Email: [log in to unmask] Tel: 020 7679 8249
Drinks & snacks at 6pm after the seminar.
Patricia Crowley
UCL Department of Epidemiology and Public Health
1 - 19 Torrington Place
London WC1E 6BT
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