The social life of the brain: Neuroscience in society

Pickersgill, Martyn

doi:10.1177/0011392113476464

Cited by 132 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…Research in other fields indicates people are more likely to incorporate neuroscience information into their existing models of human behaviour, than to radically alter their mental models to account for biological research findings (Choudhury et al, 2012;O'Connor & Joffe, 2013;Pickersgill, 2013). Our findings are consistent with this, in that most participants did not think that an emphasis on the neurobiological basis of nicotine dependence would change their own treatment preferences or their smoking behaviour.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Moreover, participants may feel an expectation to respond to these ideas as if they were novel and new. Martyn Pickersgill (2013) has noted a tendency amongst social scientists to overplay the novelty or significance of neuroscience while members of the public are more likely to treat it as an object of "mundane significance." That is, they may ignore it, acknowledge it, or find it "entertaining, rather than profound" (Pickersgill, 2013, p. 330).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The biomedicalisation of smoking cessation: a mixed methods study of lay perspectives on nicotine addiction

Morphett¹

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Biomedical models of addiction are becoming increasingly prevalent in public discourse about cigarette smoking, however there is some concern that smoking is becoming overly medicalised. Neuroscience research has revealed that nicotine use is associated with longlasting changes in the brain, and these findings are being presented in the media and in advertising campaigns for smoking cessation pharmacotherapies. The "brain disease model of addiction", which posits that chronic drug use leads to long-term changes in brain networks that make it very difficult to quit, is increasingly being applied to tobacco dependence. This is controversial in the tobacco control field, where population-based strategies have been successful in reducing the prevalence of smoking. Proponents of a biomedical model of tobacco dependence believe that it will lead to increased treatment seeking, more efficacious treatments, and a reduction in stigma. Critics of a biomedical model of nicotine addiction have expressed concerns that it will reduce individual responsibility for smoking, increase stigma, and undermine individuals' beliefs in their ability to quit. While these competing views on the impacts of biomedical models of addiction have been debated in the academic literature, it is unknown to what extent members of the public endorse a biomedical model of tobacco dependence, and have incorporated it into their everyday understandings of smoking.This research examined the influence of biomedical discourses of smoking on lay beliefs of Australian smokers and non-smokers about tobacco dependence and its treatment. It also explored daily smokers' attitudes to the labelling of nicotine addiction as a "brain disease." A mixed methods approach was used to ascertain the extent to which biomedical understandings of smoking have been incorporated into lay discourse on smoking and quitting; how Australian smokers understand nicotine addiction and the role of the brain; and how endorsement of the brain disease model of addiction may be related to smokers' attitudes towards smoking cessation and preferences for quitting methods.The thesis is comprised of three studies. Firstly, a secondary analysis of data from interviews with 55 members of the general public, including never smokers, ex-smokers and current smokers. The data was analysed to ascertain public attitudes on the best methods for quitting smoking. Results revealed that while cessation medications were frequently described as a helpful means to quit, the role of willpower, choice, and motivation were seen as central.iii Medications were often described as a "second line of defence", or as aids to be used alongside counselling or behavioural strategies.A second qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 29 daily smokers about their views on smoking cessation and their understanding of the role of the brain in smoking. The results revealed positive attitudes to quitting without assistance. Cessation medications were not perceived as magic bullets, and willpower and perso...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The biomedicalisation of smoking cessation: a mixed methods study of lay perspectives on nicotine addiction

Morphett¹

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“…According to Lakoff and Johnson (1980) Vidal 2009;Pickersgill 2013), but are they reductionist? Metaphors related to the 'brainbased self' locate agency within the brain.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Alcohol short-circuits important part of the brain’: Swedish newspaper representations of biomedical alcohol research

Bogren

2016

Addiction Research & Theory

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The media has a central role in communicating and constructing health knowledge, including communicating research findings related to alcohol consumption. However, research on news reporting about alcohol is still a relatively small field; in particular, there are few studies of the reporting of biomedical alcohol and drug research, despite the assumed increasing popularity of biomedical perspectives in public discourse in general. The present article addresses the representational 'devices' used in Swedish press reporting about biomedical alcohol research, drawing on qualitative thematic analysis of the topics, metaphors, and optimist versus critical frames used in presenting biomedical research findings. In general, the press discourse focuses on genetic factors related to alcohol problems, on the role of the brain and the reward system in addiction, and on medication for treating alcohol problems. Metaphors of 'reconstruction' and 'reprograming' of the reward system are used to describe how the brain's function is altered in addiction, whereas metaphors of 'undeserved reward' and 'shortcuts' to pleasure are used to describe alcohol's effects on the brain. The study indicates that aspects of the Swedish press discourse of biomedical alcohol research invite reductionism, but that this result could be understood from the point of view of both the social organization of reporting and the intersection of reporting, science, and everyday understandings rather than from the point of view of the news articles only. Moreover, some characteristics of the media portrayals leave room for interpretation, calling for research on the meanings ascribed to metaphors of addiction in everyday interaction. ARTICLE HISTORY

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“…Novel contemporary neurological research is producing knowledge that changes how we regard the brain (Beaulieu 2000, Pickersgill 2013, and cultural artefacts-e.g. films, TV-series, games, fiction books-can be important vehicles for communicating these scientific findings to the public (Ortega & Vidal 2013, Vidal 2016.…”

Section: Journal Of Current Cultural Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%