Griffiths

AIMS: 

• to examine whether skill is involved in fruit machine gambling is actual or perceived?
• does it vary between reg and non-reg gamblers?
• are reg. more irrational in thinking?
• whether thinking aloud affects time taken

METHOD:

• Quasi experiment
• IV (reg/non-reg) DV gambling ability etc..
• Field experiment (consent gained from owners of gambling area)

PARTICIPANTS:

• Non-reg - self select, posters in plymouth uni/local colleges, volunteers who played once a month or less (15 males and 15 females) - average age 25.3 years
• Reg - opportunity sample selected by Griffiths from previous research + snowball sample (recruited by other gamblers) - 29 males, 1 female (representative of gamblers) - average age 21.6 years 

DESIGN:

• independent groups (reg/non-reg) then a further 2 independent groups per category (thinking aloud/not thinking aloud)

PROCEDURE:

• all tested individually, given £3, asked to try and stay on for minimum of 60 gambles
• each gamble was 10p - asked to breakeven - allowed to keep any winnings
• all asked to use fruit machines (3 reg refused and 7 moved to other machines during process)
• Thinking aloud: told to say everything that went through mind, no censoring even if irrelevant/unstructured, speak clearly, try not to justify thoughts. 
• TAPE RECORDINGS WERE ANALYSED BY GRIFFITHS WITHIN 24 HOURS
• Recorded time spent, no. of gambles, amount won, play rate (gambles per minute) win rate (in terms of gambles and time)
• Interviewed after on performance/skill

RESULTS:

• reg. spent longer on machines and had higher play rate, seemed to win more BUT on average came away with no money -> suggests more skill because quicker HOWEVER if skill measured by end results…