Personality Theory & Behavioral Psychology:
Unraveling the Motivations Behind Gambling
Today’s Agenda:
Personality PPT
Behavioral PPT
Movie (contd).
Personality Theory
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Personality theory suggests that
people’s attitudes and general
behaviors are shaped by their
individual personalities.
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Two streams of thought with
respect two how we develop
our personality.
A)
Predominantly formed through
genetics
B)
Predominantly formed through
environment / early childhood
experiences
Setting Origins Aside
• Despite the pathway by which one’s personality is formed,
having such a personality “predisposes the individual to
behave in a certain way.”
• Thus, personality theory has had it hands in the explanation
of addictions as far back as the 1940’s.
• Here, the exhibiting addictive behavior was thought to be
inherent to a specific personality disorder, which distinguished
the addict from the normal citizen.
Addiction Isn’t the Problem it’s the Personality
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Problem gambling or pathological gambling then is just a symptom of a more
enduring personality problem.
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The gambling personality, supposedly highlights these characteristics and more:
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Flashy
Manipulative
Grandiose
Overconfident
Impatient
Competitive
Energetic
Success Driven
Resourceful
Anti-social
Aggressive
Shallow
Immature
Impulsive
Search for an Identifying Trait
• Unfortunately, empirical literature suggests that personality theory and it’s
relation to gambling has been unsupported.
• Meanwhile, their exists a consistent stream of research that continues to
try to nail down a specific personality which reflects the
problem/pathological gambler.
• To date, research has yet to find such a personality, two predominant
reasons for this are:
– Infancy of gambling research (empirically driven)
– Sampling bias
Trait Constellations
• Since a single personality trait has not been found that predisposes one to
gamble, researchers and clinicians have gone about to demarcate
personality constellations.
• The more common trait constellations put forth have been:
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Sociopathic personality / anti social type
Paranoid personality type with depressive traits
Anxiety ridden with depressive traits
Depressive Psychopathic Deviant
Chronic Depressed with Traumatic Background
Situationally depressed periodic alcohol abuser
Success driven volatile narcissist
Trait Constellations – Not Supported
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Despite the myriad of trait constellations,
researchers have been unsuccessful in their
attempts to isolate a personality trait or
constellation of traits that may be responsible
for gambling pathology, let alone any addictive
behavior.
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However, it is generally agreed amongst
clinicians and gambling researchers, that
personality does play a role in the development
and progression of gambling addiction.
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But such a constellation, interaction, and
subsequent behavior is different for different
games, thus it appears that their exists subtypes
of problem / pathological gamblers.
Behavioral Psychology & Gambling
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Learning theory and behavioral psychology, locates behavior outside of the
individual, but always within his or her immediate environment.
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They are not concerned with the unconscious, but exploring the motivations
behind gambling (that can be observed).
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Key to their claims is that the social gambler is essentially no different the
pathological gambler. Except for the fact the heavy gambler has learned to
gamble heavily and will suffer more consequences because of this.
Learning Theory and Schedules of
Reinforcement
• In explaining gambling behavior, learning theory/behaviorism rests on
another key principle(s), schedules of reinforcement.
• Thus, the gambler is conditioned to play because of reward and
punishment.
• Reward = win/near win, punishment = loss.