Evaluating the cognitive explanation of gambling Flashcards
A03 - what can other reasons can gambling be explained by?
P - Gambling be explained by genes
E - Blum and Comings (1996) identified that gamblers are far more likely to posses the AIDRD2 genetic variant predisposing them to gambling.
E - This implies that the gambling behaviour can be mostly attributed to our biology and not cognitive thinking.
L - Therefore, we can assusme that the gentic approach to explain gambling addiction has more credibility due to it’s scientific methodology.
- Genes
- Blum and Comings (1996)
- AIDRD2
- Biology
- Credibility
A03 - practical application?
P - CBT can be used to correct cognitive biasses in gambling which should reduce the motivation to gamble.
E - For example, Echeburun (1996) showed CBT was effective in gamblers using slot machines.
E - But, this might not be a representation of all gambling behaviours.
- CBT
- Cognitive biasses
- Echeburun (1996)
- Slot machines
- However…
A03 - Supporting evidence?
P - Mark Griffiths (1994).
E - Procedure: Amusment acrcade, 30 regular gamblers vs 30 non regular gamblers. Each Pt given £3 to play on the fruit machines. Recorded verbalisations as they played the machine. Findings: Regular gamblers believed they were more skillful than they actually were and were more likely to make irrational statements e.g. “putting in only a quid bluffs the machine” (illusion of control). Non regular gamblers more likely to believe they lost due to chance and regulars believed it was skill. Regular gamblers also described “near misses/wins”
L - Therefore, we can suggest that gamblers do posses things such as: cognitive myopia, gamblers fallacy, illusion of control etc. Which all contribute to gambler’s cognitive thinking maintaing their gambling addiction.
- Mark Griffiths (1994)
- Amusment arcade
- 30 regular
- 30 non
- £3
- skill
- chance
- illusion of control
