Pathological Gambling Experiment
Pathological Gambling Experiment Definition
In the present experiment, the authors tested the 'big win' hypothesis by having 4 groups of participants with little to no experience gambling play a computer-simulated slot machine for credits that were exchangeable for cash. One group experienced a large win on the very 1st play. Another experienced a large win on the 5th play. Gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling, may be a type of impulse-control disorder. Compulsive gamblers keep gambling whether they’re up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed. A sample of pathological gamblers presenting for treatment have taken the GABS (N=86; 53 males and 33 females, mean age=41). All gamblers met minimal DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling and had SOGS scores in the pathological range. There was no statistical difference in GABS scores between male and female pathological gamblers.
This paper explores the fact that when video lottery machines were turned off in South Dakota, the inquiries about gambling and the number of individuals receiving treatment for problem gambling diminished abruptly. When the machines were turned back on, there was a prompt increase in both of these categories.
Pathological Gambling Experiment Meaning
These changes occurred despite the fact that alternative forms of legal gambling were available (i.e., scratch tickets, Indian Reservation casino gambling, and multi-state lotteries). This suggests that video lottery gambling machines presents a unique risk for the development of problems severe enough to prompt treatment. These data suggest little substitution of other forms of gambling occurred when video lottery gambling was not available.