Individual Differences 3: Griffiths

Question 0

Cognitive distortions?

Answer 0

1. Illusion of control= gamblers believing have a greater chance of winning if do something
2. Flexible attributions= success to own skills, failures to externalities
3. Representativeness= ‘gamblers fallacy’: winning increases with number of ongoing losses
4. Availability bias= winning highly publicised (noise of machine)
5. Illusory correlations= superstitious behaviour
6. Fixation on absolute frequency= focusing on how much they win in comparison to others

Question 1

Background?

Answer 1

1. Salience (some)
2. Mood Modification (monkeys)
3. Tolerance (take)
4. Withdrawal symptoms (with)
5. Conflict with rest of life (conscious)
6. Relapse (regret)

Question 2

Aim?

Answer 2

To compare behaviour of regular gamblers and non gamblers.

Question 3

4 hypotheses?

Answer 3

1. No difference between RGs and NRGs on objective measure of skill (7)
2. RGs produce more irrational verbalisations than NRGs (thinkin aloud)
3. RGs more skill orientated- self report in post experimental semi structured interviews
4. Thinking aloud condition takes longer to complete task

Question 4

PPs?

Answer 4

60
•30RGs (29 males 1 females) 
•30 NRGs (15 males 15 males) 
•avg age 23.4 
•from Plymouth/Devon

RG= operationalised as someone who gambles at least once a week

NRGs= gambled once a month or less but used fruit machines once in life

Volunteer (posters around UNI)

Question 5

How were the 4 hypotheses measured?

Answer 5

1. Total plays/ time 
    Play rate
    End stake 
    Wins 
    Win rate (times) 
    Win rate (plays) 

2. Thinking aloud method
3. Post experiment semi structured interview

Question 6

Procedure?

Answer 6

• all PPs tested individually
• £3 to gamble on fruit machine (30 free plays)
• FRUITSKILL
• aim to stay for at least 60 gambles
• ^ allowed to keep £3 or carry on
• RGs and NRGs randomly allocated to thinking aloud condition/not

Question 7

Controls?

Answer 7

• all PPs played FRUITSKILL
• randomly assigned to TA/NTA
• all recordings transcribed within 24 hrs

Question 8

Qualitative data?

Answer 8

RG
Irrational verbalisations:
•personification of machine
•explaining losses
•swearing at machine 

Rational verbalisations:
•general reference to number system on machine
•general reference to winning

NRG
Irrational verbalisations= very few

Rational:
•questions relating to confusion
•miscellaneous

Question 9

Quantitative data?

Answer 9

WIN:
Highest= NRG TA (8.3)
Lowest= RG TA (6.0)

WIN RATE PLAYS:
Highest= RG TA (14.6)
Lowest= RG NTA (7.5)

Question 10

Quantitative behaviour data?

Answer 10

Irrational verbalisations:
RGs= 14%
NRGs= 2.5%

TA condition:
TA= 21.4 mins
NTA= 16.9 mins

Question 11

Self-report findings?

Answer 11

Any skill involved?
RG:
•12 equal chance
•18 skill

NRG:
•23 equal chance
•7 skill

Question 12

Conclusions?

Answer 12

• RG more skilful e.g knowing reels
• RG believe they are more skilful
• RG play with ‘with’ money not ‘for’
• RG make more irrational verbalisations

Question 13

Evaluation?

Answer 13

✔️real arcade setting+money
✔️structured observation= internal v

✖️allowed to swap machines
✖️demand characteristics

Question 14

Thinking aloud condition?

Answer 14

1. Do not censor any thoughts even if they seem irrelevant
2. Keep talking as continuously as possible, even if ideas not clearly structured
3. Speak clearly
4. Use fragmented sentences if necessary.
5. Do not try to justify thoughts