Griffiths

Aim: to investigate the thought processes of Gamblers and non-gamblers. To show that there is no difference in the level of skill of gamblers and non-gamblers. To show that there is a difference in the thought processes of gamblers and non-gamblers.

Participants:

• 60 participants
• Mean age 23
• Recruited through posters in a University and Snowball sampling
• 30 Gamblers ( 29 males, 1 female)
• 30 non- Gamblers ( 15 males, 15 females)

Method:

• quasi experiment,each participant given £3 and had to stay on machine for 60 gambles,
• random allocation to thinking aloud condition.
• IV - gambler or non-gambler.
• DV's - total no. of plays, total minutes of play, total winnings

Results:

• No difference in objective measures of skill betweem regular and non-regular gamblers
• Regular gamblers made more irrational verbalisations 14% versus non-regular gamblers 2.5%

Conclusions

• Regular gamblers believe they are more skillful than they are
• Regular gamblers use cognitive biases when gambling