Paradoxes Of Gambling Behaviour

Why does a large proportion of the population engage in some form of gambling, although they know they are most likely to lose, and that the gambling industry makes huge profits? Do gamblers simply accept their losses as fate, or do they believe that they will be able to overcome the negative odds in some miraculous way? The paradox is complicated by the fact that those habitual gamblers who are most aware that systematic losses cannot be avoided, are the least likely to stop gambling. Detailed analyses of actual gambling behaviour have shown gamblers to be victims of a variety of cognitive illusions, which lead them to believe that the general statistical rules of determining the probability of loss do not apply to them as individuals. The designers of gambling games cleverly exploit these illusions in order to promote a false perception of the situation. Much of the earlier interest in gambling behaviour has been centred on the traditional theories of human decision-making, where decisions are portrayed as choices among bets. This led to a tradition of studying decision-making in experiments on betting. In this title, originally published in 1988, the author argues that betting behaviour should not be used as a typical example of human decision-making upon which a general psychological theory could be founded, and that these traditional views can in no way account for the gambling behaviour reported in this book.

This book presents research into gambling, showing the psychological variables that govern erosion or maintenance of self-control.

Contributi di studio sugli aspetti psico-sociali del gioco d'azzardo. Nel dettaglio, si parla di scala del rischio di dipendenza, cause del gioco patologico, personalità dei giocatori compulsivi, co-dipendenza da altre sostanze, aspetti neurologici della questione, ecc. Di sicuro interesse è un capitolo dedicato al rapporto fra i giovani e il gioco, con accenni alla dipendenza da slot-machines, scommesse, computer e video giochi.

Mark Griffiths has carried out extensive research into why some adolescents get hooked on gambling, how they gamble and what can be done about it. In this book he provides an overview of adolescent gambling worldwide.

Problem gambling is a perennial issue frequently reported in the media. This book is a comprehensive and up-to-date resource on problem gambling research. It describes the state of the art of the subject and presents the latest developments such as computer modelling of gambling behaviour and risk profiles of gambling products.

The rise in legalized gambling in the United States over the last fifteen years has led to much debate among scientists and practitioners about how to conceptualize and study the phenomenon, treat persons who experience difficulties controlling their level of play, and prevent individuals from becoming problem or 'pathological' gamblers. The current volume brings together a group of basic and applied behavior scientists to discuss these matters. Gambling is designed to allow readers familiar with the general concepts and principles of behavior analysis to understand how the field is addressing the area of gambling. Graduate students taking classes in behavioral applications, or those enrolled in seminars specific to gambling, will find this collection of papers a vital resource. The book will also be useful to clinicians interested in understanding the basic and conceptual foundations that underlie successful prevention and treatment approaches.

First published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Overviews the casino industry and its affects on economy and society, and points the way toward print resources and organizations. Lists state information sources, regulatory agencies, and Indian gaming sites by state, related companies and associations, periodicals, and experts in the field, and offers an annotated bibliography of some 900 key references for books, articles, and government publications written from 1985 through 1994. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR