Explanations for gambling addiction: Learning theory

Question 1

Vicarious reinforcement

Learning theory (gambling)

Answer 1

Seeing other being rewarded for gambling through pleasure & money
Not always direct - newspapers, magazines etc report positively on lottery winners
May be trigger for those who haven’t gambled before

Question 2

Positive & Negative reinforcement

Learning theory (gambling)

Answer 2

Once person starts gambling, there’s 2 sources of direct +reinforcemnt - Winning money & ‘buzz’ that accompanies gambling
Neg reinforcement - gambling can be an esacpe for many; offers distraction from aversive stimuli

Question 3

Partial reinforcement

Learning theory (gambling)

Answer 3

Partial reinforcemnt schedule creates persistent behaviour seen in gambling
In some types of partial reinforcement (variable) only some bets are rewarded so there is unpredictability

Question 4

Variable reinforcement

Learning theory (gambling)

Answer 4

Behaviour reinforced intermittently, produces most persistent learning
Reward given after unpredictable number of responses
Takes longer for leanring to be established but once it is it’s more resistant to extinction
Why gamblers continue after big loss - they will win eventually if they persist

Question 5

Cue reactivity

Learning theory (gambling)

Answer 5

Can explain how behavioural addiction can be maintained & reinstated after a relapse
Experienced gamblers experience many secondary reinforcers
e.g. atmosphere of betting shops, colourful look of scratch cards
These cues are everywhere in social and media environments so difficult for abstaining gambler to avoid

Question 6

Research support

Learning theory (gambling)

Answer 6

Strength - research from outside lab
Dickerson observed behaviour of gamblers in 2 betting offices in Birmingham
Comapred those who put most bets on horse races & those who placed few
Found high-frequencey gamblers were more likely to place bets in last 2 mins before race start
They find build up exciting
There4, there is evidence for +reinforcement in real world setting

Question 7

Research support - Counterpoint

Learning theory (gambling)

Answer 7

Study has methodological shortcomings
e.g. gambling behaviour was directly oberserved in betting shops over 14 weeks, no way of checking inter-observer reliability
There4, observer bias wasn’t eliminated & findings of study may not be valid

Question 8

Limited explanation

Learning theory (gambling)

Answer 8

Limit - struggles to explain some types of gambling
Learning theory can explain gambling addiction in games where there’s no delay between placing bet and outcome
Harder for learning theory to explain addiction to gambling where outcome is known sometime after placing bet
Reward comes long time after behaviour so conditioning is less effective
There4, learning theory is limited as it doesn’t provide general explanation of all gambling addiction

Question 9

Explains failure to stop

Learning theory (gambling)

Answer 9

Strength: explains why most gamblers cannot stop gambling
Conditioning is ‘automatic’ process - unaware they are learning to be addicted
Even though most gamblers are determined to give up, they fail over and over
Because their conscious desire to give up may conflict w/ conditioning processes that drive them to continue gambling
There4, learning theory explains common everyday experience of most addicted gamblers who find ut hard to stop gambling