Gambling Flashcards
What is the history of gambling?
Gambling goes back to 4000 BC and just about every culture has a history of gambling
What was gambling originally viewed as?
An immoral activity. Aristotle equates a gambler as a thief or even worse because stealing from his own friends.
How did freud view gambling?
Oedpial guilt
How did bergler view gambling?
The gamblers as neurotic with an unconscious desire for self punishment and loss
How did the tides begin to change on gambling views?
Gambling as an outcome of abnormal condition, not immorality and medicalization of gambling recognized as something that is treatable
What happened in the 80/90’s when gambling was legalized?
Disease model of addiction: addiction has biological, neurological, genetic and environmental sources of origin Middle class acceptance that problem gambling is a disease that could be treated Rapid expansion of gambling in the 1980's and 1990's
How has gambling moved into the 21st century?
Social casino gambling (play gambling type games for free, they give you credits or game dollars)
The top apps on Facebook are always social casino games, pull you into actual online gambling (the game makes you believe you’re good)
What is the per capita loss from gambling for canadians vs. Australians?
On average Canadians lose around 400$ to gambling (86% of Canadians gamble at least once per year)
Australia loses 1000$ per capita on gambling in a year
Why do so many people gamble? The 4 E’s of gambling
Economic gain
Excitement
Entertainment (is the one of the 4 E’s that isnt all that bad- can involve responsible gambling for example going with 50$ for entertainment purposes and leaving when its gone)
Escape (dissociation- alters sense of time and space, you lose yourself)
What is problem gambling?
A descriptive term used to define those individuals with problems in their lives due to gambling
What changed in the DSM5 for gambling?
Left: impulse control disorder
Joined: substance related and addictive disorders
The first formally recognized behavioural addiction (only one right now)
What percentage of individuals who are in need of a behaviour change actually change?
Only about 15% of those who are in need of a behaviour change actually do take the necessary steps to change their behaviour. 85% don’t take action.
What is the transtheoretical model of behavioural change?
Precontemplation: No recognition of need for or interest in change (not thinking about change)
Contemplation: Thinking about change
Preparation: planning for change
Action: Adopting new habits
Maintenance: ongoing practice of new, healthier behaviour
It’s not a linear model, people can go backwards in the stages or skip stages
One problem with this model is that it’s a stage model, just describe where you’re at not how you got to that stage
What percentage of Canadians set vs. follow new years resolutions?
50% of Canadians set one but only 19% are successful two years later
What are the differences between gamblng and substance misuse?
Hidden addiction Doesn’t require ingestion Can't overdose- no saturation point Can't be tested People don’t think it’s a true addiction
What are some psychological or cognitive barriers to change?
Humans aren’t good estimators of probability, Risk perception and actual hazards
Illusion of control: belief that uncontrollable outcomes can be controlled through personal, effort
Pressing the elevator button a million times even though it has no effect on how fast it comes because you have no control over that
Education in treatment: connection (Kim & Wohl, 2017)
Cognitive distortions post treatment decreased at post treatment
Motivation to overcome gambling problems increased post treatment
What might a negative sense of self-worth lead to and why?
it leads to problematic behaviour and undermines behaviour change and Shame: I am a bad person (personal attribution) vs. Guilt: I have done a bad thing (situational attribution). People who had a negative self perception involving shame and guilt were more likely not to take action.
What is self forgiveness?
A positive attitudinal shift in the feelings, actions, and beliefs about the self following a self-perceived transgression or wrongdoing committed by the self. Mental maintenance that keep us on a mentally healthy road. Reduces shame and guilt
Relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety. Improves self-esteem among those in treatment for alcoholism and eating disorders
What is the dark side of self forgiveness?
Self forgivers exhibit high levels of narcissism. Self forgiveness can maintain the behavioural status quo.
Self forgiveness and behaviour change study
Participants: 305 gamblers Measured variables: -Gambling symptomatology -Self forgiveness -Readiness to change Found self forgiveness to be a mediator the more forgiving you are, the less likely you are to change (indicated by the -) Self forgiveness may be good ONCE you have stopped the behaviour, But while you are engaged in the behaviour self forgiveness undermines change
What did Thompson & Wohl (2011) find about smoking and self forgiveness?
Self forgiveness reduces the positive impact of acknowledging smoking’s negative effects (i.e., smoking cons) on motivation to quit
What is authenticity?
living one’s life according to the needs of one’s inner being, rather than the demands of society or one’s early conditioning
This quest for authenticity can ruin relationships. Feelings of authenticity promoted self esteem and protected against depression and anxiety
What is the dark side of authenticity?
What happens if you feel authentic while gambling? recruited sports better who were watching the Stanley cup playoffs
Measures: Authenticity while gambling, betting frequency, Biggest win and loss. Found that authenticity while gambling significantly predicted all 3
