Bruce K. Alexander (born 20 December 1939)[1] is a psychologist and professor emeritus from Vancouver, BC, Canada.[1] He has taught and conducted research on the psychology of addiction at Simon Fraser University since 1970.[2] He retired from active teaching in 2005. Alexander and SFU colleagues conducted a series of experiments into drug addiction known as the Rat Park experiments. He has written two books about addiction: Peaceful Measures: Canada's Way Out of the War on Drugs (1990)[3] and The Globalization of Addiction: A Study in Poverty of the Spirit (2008).[4]
The "Rat Park" experiments were published in the journal Psychopharmacology in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Alexander and his colleagues found that the rats in their study that were housed in isolation consumed more morphine than the rats in the rat park colony.[5][6] One of those studies found that both caged and "park" rats showed a decreased preference for morphine, suggesting a genetic difference.[5] Other studies have supported the conclusions, finding that environmental enrichment induces neurological changes that would serve to decrease the chances of opiate addiction[7][8] Alexander's work laid the groundwork for a body of work in rodents on the social influences on addiction.[8]
Writings and viewsedit
Alexander then explored the broader implications of Rat Park experiments for human beings. The main conclusions of his experimental and historical research since 1985 can be summarized as follows:
Drug addiction is only a small corner of the addiction problem. Most serious addictions do not involve either drugs or alcohol[9]
Addiction is more a social problem than an individual problem. When socially integrated societies are fragmented by internal or external forces, addiction of all sorts increases dramatically, becoming almost universal in extremely fragmented societies.[10]
Addiction arises in fragmented societies because people use it as a way of adapting to extreme social dislocation. As a form of adaptation, addiction is neither a disease that can be cured nor a moral error that can be corrected by punishment and education.[11]
In 2014 Alexander published the book A History of Psychology in Western Civilization.[12]
Awards and recognitionedit
In 2007, Alexander received the Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in Support of Controversy from Simon Fraser University.[13] In 2011, he was invited to present at the Royal Society of Arts and Manufactures in London.[14]
Referencesedit
^ abAlexander, Bruce. "Curriculum Vitae " June 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved on 12 May 2013.
^Alexander, B.K. (1990) Peaceful Measures: Canada's Way Out of the War on Drugs. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN0-8020-6753-0[page needed]
^Alexander, B.K. (2008). The Globalization of Addiction: A study in poverty of the spirit. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-958871-6[page needed]
^ abPetrie, B. F (2016). "Environment is not the Most Important Variable in Determining Oral Morphine Consumption in Wistar Rats". Psychological Reports. 78 (2): 391–400. doi:10.2466/pr0.1996.78.2.391. PMID 9148292. S2CID 45068460.
^Bozarth, M. A; Murray, A; Wise, R. A (1989). "Influence of housing conditions on the acquisition of intravenous heroin and cocaine self-administration in rats". Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. 33 (4): 903–7. doi:10.1016/0091-3057(89)90490-5. PMID 2616610. S2CID 6910048.
^Xu, Zhiwei; Hou, Bing; Gao, Yan; He, Fuchu; Zhang, Chenggang (2007). "Effects of enriched environment on morphine-induced reward in mice". Experimental Neurology. 204 (2): 714–9. doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2006.12.027. PMID 17331503. S2CID 43363493.
^ abEitan, Shoshana; Emery, Michael A; Bates, M.L.Shawn; Horrax, Christopher (2017). "Opioid addiction: Who are your real friends?". Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 83: 697–712. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.017. PMID 28552458. S2CID 36995951.
^Alexander, Bruce K; Schweighofer, Anton R. F (1988). "Defining 'addiction'". Canadian Psychology. 29 (2): 151–62. doi:10.1037/h0084530.
^Alexander, Bruce K (2009). "The Globalization of Addiction". Addiction Research. 8 (6): 501–26. doi:10.3109/16066350008998987. S2CID 143487382.
^. Archived from the original on 2011-11-13. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
^Alexander, Bruce. A History of Psychology in Western Civilization. Cambridge University Press (2014). ISBN978-0521189309[page needed]
bruce, alexander, born, december, 1939, psychologist, professor, emeritus, from, vancouver, canada, taught, conducted, research, psychology, addiction, simon, fraser, university, since, 1970, retired, from, active, teaching, 2005, alexander, colleagues, conduc. Bruce K Alexander born 20 December 1939 1 is a psychologist and professor emeritus from Vancouver BC Canada 1 He has taught and conducted research on the psychology of addiction at Simon Fraser University since 1970 2 He retired from active teaching in 2005 Alexander and SFU colleagues conducted a series of experiments into drug addiction known as the Rat Park experiments He has written two books about addiction Peaceful Measures Canada s Way Out of the War on Drugs 1990 3 and The Globalization of Addiction A Study in Poverty of the Spirit 2008 4 Bruce K AlexanderBornBruce K Alexander 1939 12 20 20 December 1939 age 84 Occupationspsychologist ProfessorAwardsIn 2007 Alexander received the Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in Support of Controversy from Simon Fraser University In 2011 he was invited to present at the Royal Society of Arts and Manufactures in London Contents 1 Rat Park 2 Writings and views 3 Awards and recognition 4 References 5 External linksRat Park editThe Rat Park experiments were published in the journal Psychopharmacology in the late 1970s and early 1980s Alexander and his colleagues found that the rats in their study that were housed in isolation consumed more morphine than the rats in the rat park colony 5 6 One of those studies found that both caged and park rats showed a decreased preference for morphine suggesting a genetic difference 5 Other studies have supported the conclusions finding that environmental enrichment induces neurological changes that would serve to decrease the chances of opiate addiction 7 8 Alexander s work laid the groundwork for a body of work in rodents on the social influences on addiction 8 Writings and views editAlexander then explored the broader implications of Rat Park experiments for human beings The main conclusions of his experimental and historical research since 1985 can be summarized as follows Drug addiction is only a small corner of the addiction problem Most serious addictions do not involve either drugs or alcohol 9 Addiction is more a social problem than an individual problem When socially integrated societies are fragmented by internal or external forces addiction of all sorts increases dramatically becoming almost universal in extremely fragmented societies 10 Addiction arises in fragmented societies because people use it as a way of adapting to extreme social dislocation As a form of adaptation addiction is neither a disease that can be cured nor a moral error that can be corrected by punishment and education 11 In 2014 Alexander published the book A History of Psychology in Western Civilization 12 Awards and recognition editIn 2007 Alexander received the Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in Support of Controversy from Simon Fraser University 13 In 2011 he was invited to present at the Royal Society of Arts and Manufactures in London 14 References edit a b Alexander Bruce Curriculum Vitae Archived June 7 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 12 May 2013 http www psyc sfu ca people index php topic finf amp id 74 full citation needed Alexander B K 1990 Peaceful Measures Canada s Way Out of the War on Drugs Toronto University of Toronto Press ISBN 0 8020 6753 0 page needed Alexander B K 2008 The Globalization of Addiction A study in poverty of the spirit Oxford UK Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 958871 6 page needed a b Petrie B F 2016 Environment is not the Most Important Variable in Determining Oral Morphine Consumption in Wistar Rats Psychological Reports 78 2 391 400 doi 10 2466 pr0 1996 78 2 391 PMID 9148292 S2CID 45068460 Bozarth M A Murray A Wise R A 1989 Influence of housing conditions on the acquisition of intravenous heroin and cocaine self administration in rats Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 33 4 903 7 doi 10 1016 0091 3057 89 90490 5 PMID 2616610 S2CID 6910048 Xu Zhiwei Hou Bing Gao Yan He Fuchu Zhang Chenggang 2007 Effects of enriched environment on morphine induced reward in mice Experimental Neurology 204 2 714 9 doi 10 1016 j expneurol 2006 12 027 PMID 17331503 S2CID 43363493 a b Eitan Shoshana Emery Michael A Bates M L Shawn Horrax Christopher 2017 Opioid addiction Who are your real friends Neuroscience amp Biobehavioral Reviews 83 697 712 doi 10 1016 j neubiorev 2017 05 017 PMID 28552458 S2CID 36995951 Alexander Bruce K Schweighofer Anton R F 1988 Defining addiction Canadian Psychology 29 2 151 62 doi 10 1037 h0084530 Alexander Bruce K 2009 The Globalization of Addiction Addiction Research 8 6 501 26 doi 10 3109 16066350008998987 S2CID 143487382 A Change of Venue for Addiction From Medicine to Social Science Archived from the original on 2011 11 13 Retrieved 2011 12 12 Alexander Bruce A History of Psychology in Western Civilization Cambridge University Press 2014 ISBN 978 0521189309 page needed Bruce Alexander https www thersa org discover videos event videos 2011 03 addiction what to do when everything else has failed full citation needed permanent dead link External links editOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bruce K Alexander amp oldid 1148972674, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
