Addiction - Explanations For Gambling Addiction (Learning Theory)

Question 1

What is reinforcement?

Answer 1

Consequence of behaviour that increases likelihood of the behaviour being repeated (can be +/-)

Question 2

What is partial reinforcement?

Answer 2

When behaviour reinforced only some of the time

Question 3

What is variable reinforcement?

Answer 3

type of partial reinforcement in which behaviour is reinforced after unpredictable period of time

Question 4

How can gamblers be vicariously reinforced?

Answer 4

The experience of seeing others being rewarded/their pleasure & enjoyment/financial gain

Question 5

How can gamblers be indirectly vicariously reinforced?

Answer 5

Media reports on lottery wins/broadcast of the glamour & excitement of horse-racing

Question 6

What are the 2 sources of direct positive reinforcement for gamblers?

Answer 6

Winning money
‘Buzz’ that accompanies it

Question 7

How can winning money & the pleasure that accompanies it positively reinforce gambling behaviour?

Answer 7

it is excitement

Question 8

How can gamblers be negatively reinforced?

Answer 8

Can be an escape from life (can distract people from stimuli e.g. anxiety)

Question 9

Who proposed partial reinforcement?

Answer 9

Skinner

Question 10

How does a partial reinforcement schedule reinforce gambling behaviour?

Answer 10

Only some bets are rewarded -> unpredictability (is enough to keep gambling going even when rewards are hard to come by)

Question 11

How does a variable reinforcement schedule reinforce gambling behaviour?

Answer 11

produces a highly unpredictable pattern of reinforcement (takes longer for learning to be established but when it does the gambler continues to place bets for long time even when behaviour isn’t reinforced)

Question 12

What are secondary reinforcers, in regards to gambling behaviour?

Answer 12

Atmosphere of betting shop/colourful look of lottery tickets etc.

Question 13

Why are secondary reinforcers difficult for abstaining gamblers to avoid?

Answer 13

Saturate social & media environment (provide continuous reminders of pleasures of gambling)

Question 14

EVALUATION: Why is Dickerson’s research a support of the learning theory explanation?

Answer 14

observed behaviours of gamblers in real life gambling environments

found gamblers who placed most bets on horse races were consistently more likely than low-frequency gamblers to place bets last 2 minutes before start of the race. Low frequency gamblers who waited until this point tended to place bets on next race and high frequency one delayed it

shows role of positive reinforcement on gambling behaviour in those who gamble more often

Question 15

EVALUATION: What is a counterpoint to Dickerson’s research?

Answer 15

Methodological issue -> had 1 observer (no way of checking reliability -> no inter-rater reliability)

observer bias not eliminated (findings may not be related)

Question 16

EVALUATION: Why might the learning theory explanation of gambling be a limited explanation?

Answer 16

only explains games with no delay between placing bet & knowing outcome (e.g. fruit machines) but other games where the gambler’s skill plays important role can have impact too

doesn’t provide general explanation of gambling addiction

Question 17

EVALUATION: How does the learning theory explanation explain the failure to stop gambling?

Answer 17

conditioning is an automatic process and doesn’t require active decision making, and all addictions are explained by reinforcement -> learning theory is an effective explanation how gamblers persistently fail to stop but being determined to do so.