Evaluating Gambling addiction

Question 1

A03 - Supporting evidence

Answer 1

P - There is supporting evidence to illustrate the reinforcing thrill of gambling

E - Dickerson (1979) found that horse racing gamblers often waited till the last 2 minutes before a race started to place a bet, significantly later than low frequancy gamblers.

E - It is theorised that gamblers did this to prolong the rewarding excitment felt before the race

L - This shows evidence of valdity towards the reinforcment of this which maintains gambling addiction.

• Dickerson (1979)
• horse racing
• prolong the feeling
• 2 minutes

Question 2

A03 - Lack of explanatory power

Answer 2

P - Learning theory doesn’t explain all types of gambling.

E - skill, rather than chance, plays an important role in poker. Additionally, games like poker don’t posses time contiguity.

E - there is sometimes significant time between the bet and the outcome.

L - This therefore suggests that the thrilling feeling isn’t present in certain gambling games and learning theory can’t exaplain all types of gambling behaviours.

• not all types of gambling
• poker
• skill
• time

Question 3

A03 - Alternative explanation

Answer 3

E - Blum and Comings (1996) have identified that gamblers are far more likely to paosses the AIDRD2 genetic variant predisposing them to gambling. Results of a twin study by Shah et al (2005) using adults found evidence of genetic transmission of gambling in men. In addition, Black et al (2006) found that 1st degree relatives of pathological gamblers were more likely to suffer gambling than more distant relatives.

• Blum and Comings (1996)
• AIDRD2
• Twin study
• Shah et al (2005)
• gambling in men transmission
• Black et al (2006)
• 1st degree relatives