Evaluation: Cognitive Biases

Question 1

In 1994, Mark Griffiths compared the verbalisatoons of 30 regular gamblers and 30 non-regular gamblers while playing on slot machines. What did he find?
(supporting evidence)

Answer 1

• Regular gamblers showed more irrational verbalisations; 14% vs 2.5%
• These verbslisations showed evidence of the heuristics and biases.

Question 2

In 2003, Jackie Joukhador created a 63 item scale called the Gambling Belief Questionnaire which covered a range of cognitive biases, such as gambler’s fallacy. They compared the responses of 56 problem gamblers and 52 social gamblers. What did they find?
(supporting evidence)

Answer 2

• Across all beliefs assessed, problem gamblers scored higher.

Question 3

What did both Mark Griffiths’ and Jackie Joukhador’s studies show?
(supporting evidence)

Answer 3

• A clear difference in cognition between problem gamblers and other gamblers.
• Cognitive Biases proved to be a useful exploration.

Question 4

Describe an issue pertaining to cognitive biases.

description or explanation

Answer 4

• Cognitive Biases may only provide a description of thoughts rather than an explanation.
• Linked to gambling.

Question 5

What should an explanation do?

description or explanation

Answer 5

• An explanation should be able to predict what will happen in certain circumstances.

Question 6

Cognitive Biases make it impossible to predict when a particular bias might be useful. Why?
(description or explanation)

Answer 6

• Some individuals may use different biases on different occasions with no pattern.

Question 7

Griffiths (2013) investigated a triple rollover in the UK national lottery. What had the media reported?
(description or explanation)

Answer 7

• 13 came up fewer than any other.

Question 8

What did Griffiths find regarding the biases?

description or explanation

Answer 8

• Reprasentativeness: ‘due’ to appear and so would pick 13.
• Availability: 13 wasn’t common/was unlikely and so they didn’t pick it.
• Cognitive Biases as explanations provide no accurate predictions.

Question 9

Describe an issue that exists within research regarding the self-report method, and give an example.
(issues eith research)

Answer 9

• Research requires participants to report to researchers what they’re thinking which creates a range of problems.
• Griffiths (1994): researchers decide which bias is shown and so it makes it susceptible to researcher bias (expectations influence selected bias).
• Questionnaires rely on honestly and what they’re thinking which is subject to demand characteristics and social desirability; gambler is aware that thought are irrational and have a reluctancy to admit so.

Question 10

Cognitive Biases can be found among non-gambmers and non-addicted gamblers. What does this explain?
(everyone exhibits these cognitive biases)

Answer 10

• This explains why CBs can lead to addiction in some but not others.

Question 11

How might one link Cognitive Biases to problem gamblers?

everyone exhibits these cognitive biases

Answer 11

• Problem gamblers may use more cognitive biases or apply heuristics inappropriately.

Question 12

Describe what Hayley Baboushkin et al (2000) found in research regarding heuristics.
(everyone exhibits these cognitive biases)

Answer 12

• Many heuristics are appropriate for everyday life, but not when dealing with chance events, which gamblers don’t realize.