Topic Summaries

Explanations for gambling addiction

A-Level > Psychology > AQA > A-Level Psychology Topic Summaries > Addiction > Explanations for gambling addiction
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Addiction

  • Social learning theory:
    • This addiction links to cue reactivity and five types of reinforcement: positive, negative, variable, partial, and vicarious.
    • There are many cues which continuously leads sufferers of gambling addictions to further increase the addiction. For example, slot machines in pubs or the presence of lottery machines in shops act as secondary enforces because they are associated with the addictive feelings of gambling.
    • Partial reinforcement is the idea that behaviours that are most hard to stop are not produced through consistent rewarding of desirable behaviours. When gamblers win, it is unlikely to happen frequently. This way they’re more likely to gamble more to chase the short term high of an uncommon win. This motivates them to continue trying until they win again.
    • Variable reinforcement is based on the idea that a gambler only has a certain statistical chance of winning. They’re motivated by the constant temptation and statistical justification to keep playing. In their mind the more they play the more statistically likely they are to win.
    • Positive reinforcement maintains gambling by rewarding gamblers for their successful bets. They will get praise from others, a thrill. When other gamblers see other gamblers win, they are more likely to continue gambling themselves. This is an example of vicarious reinforcement as they want to achieve the same rewards as the winners.
    • Negative reinforcement is carried out by providing the gambler with an escape from their daily struggle. It’s a short term shift of focus to better feeling.
  • Cognitive theory:
    • Cognitive biases play important role in distorted views of expectancy. There are four key types of cognitive biases:
      • Faulty perceptions e.g. thinking the loses cannot continue forever
      • Selective recall e.g. only remembering the rewards
      • Skills and judgements: e.g. the illusion of control or thinking you can stop anytime
      • Personal traits: e.g. believing in luck or superstitions
    • Irrational idea of expectancy: the benefits of gambling must exceed the costs, further explaining why people focus on the perceived positives of their addiction and ignores the real losses.

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