Evaluation of cognitive approach Can explain individual differences. People may engage in same activity but addiction only occurs in some people. Cognitive explanations account for these differences – those who develop faulty cognitive biases may be more likely to develop an addiction!!!

Evaluation of cognitive approach Implications for treatment. Evidence that there is more than one motivation for addictive behaviours, therefore should be differing approaches to their treatment – can aid treatment of smoking/gambling addicts. E.g. if self-medicating addicts, more beneficial to treat underlying problem first before attempting to get them to quit the addiction. If addiction due to irrational beliefs then maybe cognitive therapy would be more appropriate in the hope to correct the cognitive errors.

Evaluation of cognitive approach Problems of cause and effect. It has been suggestion that psychological symptoms (i.e. depression) come before addictive behaviour. However it could be that the medical/social/financial costs of the addictive behaviour led to the depression. In other words, which came first???