Testing the incentive-sensitization theory with at-risk drinkers: Wanting, liking, and alcohol consumption.
Abstract
Motivational models of addiction typically propose that alcohol and drugs are desired because of their hedonic effects (i.e., increasing pleasure or reducing distress). In contrast, the incentive-sensitization theory proposes that wanting motivation and liking motivation are separable and that after repeated substance use, motivation shifts from liking to wanting. Using a sample of 85 at-risk drinkers (as defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), in the current study we examined the separability of liking motivation and wanting motivation for alcohol and whether years of drinking experience was associated with an increased role for wanting motivation and a decreased role for liking motivation. Consumption was measured with a free-drinking task. Wanting motivation was assessed immediately before drinking, and liking was assessed immediately after drinking had begun. The results indicated that (a) wanting motivation predicted variance of consumption unique from that accounted for by liking motivation, (b) longer drinking experience was associated with a decreased relation between liking motivation and consumption, and (c) longer drinking experience was not associated with an increased relation between wanting motivation and consumption. The results provide partial support for the incentive-sensitization theory.
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In humans, a dissociation has been found between 'liking' and 'wanting' for alcohol where small doses of alcohol cause spikes in 'wanting' yet leave 'liking' unaffected, and heavy drinkers show higher sensitivity to alcohol's stimulating and rewarding effects.
“Similarly in humans, a dissociation has been found between ‘liking’ and ‘wanting’ for alcohol where small doses of alcohol cause spikes in ‘wanting’ yet leave ‘liking’ unaffected (Hobbs, Remington, & Glautier, 2005; Ostafin, Marlatt, & Troop-Gordon, 2010), and heavy drinkers show higher sensitivity to alcohol’s stimulating and rewarding effects (A. C. King, Hasin, O'Connor, McNamara, & Cao, 2016).”
From Cued for Risk: Evidence for an Incentive Sensitization Framework to Explain the Interplay between Stress and Anxiety, Substance Abuse, and Reward Uncertainty in Disordered Gambling Behavior (2019) · cites this paper as Ostafin, Marlatt, & Troop-Gordon, 2010
Human studies in this area have been limited to retrospective patient reports, post mortem brain tissue methods, or cross-sectional laboratory paradigms, none of which directly measure alcohol responses in the same individuals over time.
“Human studies in this area have been limited to retrospective patient reports(23), post mortem brain tissue methods(24), or cross-sectional laboratory paradigms(2, 3, 25–29), none of which directly measure alcohol responses in the same individuals over time.”
From A Prospective 5-Year Re-examination of Alcohol Response in Heavy Drinkers Progressing in Alcohol Use Disorder (2016) · cites this paper as [25]
Previous studies relying on proxy measures of brain-behavior relationships to alcohol response have not been able to address within-person changes or stabilization in alcohol response over time.
“Previous studies relying on proxy measures of brain-behavior relationships to alcohol response(2, 3, 23–29) have not been able to address within-person changes or stabilization in alcohol response over time.”
From A Prospective 5-Year Re-examination of Alcohol Response in Heavy Drinkers Progressing in Alcohol Use Disorder (2016) · cites this paper as [25]
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- Authors
- Ostafin, B. D., Marlatt, G. A., & Troop-Gordon, W.
- Affiliations
- North Dakota State University (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- ORCID
- Ostafin, Brian D.
- Venue
- Psychology of Addictive Behaviors
- Published
- 2010-03
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 157-162
- ISSN
- 0893-164X (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1501
- OpenAlex
- W2019950701
- Cited by
- 45
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 2.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (F32 AA15228-01)
- University of Washington (05-8161-G-01)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Keywords
- incentive-sensitization theory, at-risk drinkers, alcohol consumption, drinking experience
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Attitude, Female, Humans, Male, Motivation, Psychological Theory, Risk Factors, Young Adult
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