Learning theory: gambling

Question 1

what is the explanation for gambling addiction?

Answer 1

partial and variable reinforcements

Question 2

how does vicarious reinforcement explain addiction?

Answer 2

START OF ADDICTION
- dependency behaviour as positively reinforcing through eurphoria + negative reinfcrcing through anxiety as removes stress
- reinforcement strengthens addicitive behaviour + increasing liklihood will occur again + person become addicted
- increase use of substance be percieved as attempt to increase reinforcements
- law of effect= this makes it more likely to keep reoccuring ‘behav stamped in’

Question 3

how does partial reinforcement explain addiction?

Answer 3

• behaviour reinforced some of time eg every 10th time
• explains why gamble after losses

Question 4

how does variable reinforcement explain addiction?

Answer 4

• schedule is type of partial reinforcement in which behaviour is reinforced after unpredictable number of responses encouraging to carry on

Question 5

what supporting research does the theory have?

Answer 5

• Dickerson observed behaviour of gamblers in 2 betting offices, (Birmingham) comparing gamblers who placed most bets on horse races with who placed fewer bets.
• high frequency gamblers more likely place bet in last 2 minutes before start of race- find build up exciting regardless of result
  C- observations, no inter-observer reliability so subjective + culture bias
• lack validity

Question 6

how does operant conditioning struggle to explain all types of gambling?

Answer 6

• explains addiction where theres no delay between placing bet and knowing outcome
• hard to explain where outcome is known after placing bet (horse racing) bc reward comes after behaviour so conditioning should be less effective
• no overall explanation of gambling like skills based (cards)

Question 7

how does the theory explain why gamblers cannot stop gambling?

Answer 7

• explains why starts and how maintained
• conditioning as automatic process where dont have to make active decision
• when determined to give up gamblers fail over and over as coscious desire to quit conflicts with conditioning processes driving them to continue
• maintence is fully explained by theory

Question 8

how is parts of the addiction cycle poorly explained?

Answer 8

• Brown suggests it struggles to explain how gambling addiction begins. many gamble occasionally and dont become addicted
• maybe other reasons outside of learning theory explaining how gambling is initaited
• reductionist