A Proof of Concept Study to Assess the Imbalance of Self-Reported Wanting and Liking as a Predictor of Problematic Addictive Behaviors

Tolerance, one of the key features of addiction, is a highly debated criterion for behaviors, considered controversial and difficult to assess. The Incentive-Sensitization Theory of Addiction (IST) provides a robust empirical background on the dynamics of the motivational and hedonic systems underlying addiction, reflecting tolerance. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to introduce wanting and liking as an IST-based measure of tolerance. Survey data were analyzed on two potentially problematic substance use behaviors (alcohol and nicotine use) and seven potentially problematic behaviors (eating, gaming, pornography use, social media use, internet use, television series watching, and working) of 774 participants (517 women, M_age = 35.8 years, SD = 11.84), using linear regression models. The models describing the relationship between usage frequency and the difference between self-reported wanting and liking were significant for all of the investigated substance use and potential behavioral addictions. As a general pattern, the balance of wanting and liking was disrupted with increasing usage/behavior frequency, with a steady increment in wanting in all investigated cases. The findings indicate that the proposed approach holds promise as an empirically robust tool for addiction research, offering the potential to compare substance and behavioral addictions on a unified dimension.