Responsible gambling tools: pop-up messages and pauses on video lottery terminals

The authors examined the effect of messages and pauses, presented on video lottery terminal screens, on erroneous beliefs and persistence to play. At posttest, the strength of erroneous beliefs was lower for participants who received messages conveying information about randomness in gambling as compared to those who received pauses. Pauses also diminished the strength of erroneous beliefs, and there was no difference between the effects of pauses and messages on the number of games played. The authors discuss these results in terms of the use of messages and pauses on video lottery terminals as a strategy for promoting responsible gambling.     

The effect of knowledge of mathematics on gambling behaviours and erroneous perceptions

This study evaluates the effect of knowledge of mathematics as a protective factor against excessive gambling behaviours and erroneous beliefs. Two groups with different levels of knowledge of mathematics were compared as to their perceptions and behaviours before and during a gambling session. A total of 60 participants (30 men, 30 women) completed a questionnaire evaluating how they perceive the notion of chance and participated in two experimental tasks: the production of a random sequence of heads/tails, and a gambling session on a video lottery terminal. The results show that participants with knowledge of mathematics held more erroneous perceptions of gambling before the experiment whereas both groups showed an equal number of erroneous perceptions and behaviours during gambling. The importance of knowledge of mathematics as a protective factor against excessive gambling is questionable. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed with regard to the prevention of excessive gambling.     

Symbols presentation modality as a determinant of gambling behavior

In this study, the authors investigated the effects that modality of symbol presentation on video lottery terminals (sequential vs. simultaneous) has on gambling behavior. They predicted that sequential presentation would incite players to prolong their gambling session. Results confirmed this prediction and showed that modality of presentation is a determinant of gambling persistency. The authors discuss the relationship between modality of presentation, hopes of an imminent win, losses, and practical and theoretical issues about other cognitive and emotional elements that may influence gamblers' behaviors.     

Social Deviancy and Suicidal Behavior

Abstract

In this study lottery gambling behavior of 288 American college students was examined. Although most students were infrequent gamblers, we found that student lottery gambling was related to having parents and friends who were lottery gamblers. Students who were frequent lottery gamblers were more likely to participate in other forms of gambling and to have begun gambling at younger ages than less frequent gamblers. Locus of control was related to more frequent gambling among parents and only marginally related to more frequent lottery play among students. Discriminant analysis using parental gambling, peer gambling, games played, sex, and locus of control could predict frequency of lottery playing for 72% of gamblers and nongamblers.     

Erroneous verbalizations and risk taking at video lotteries

This study examined the effect of erroneous perceptions verbalized by a game accomplice on participants' gambling. The sample consisted of 22 men and 10 women, aged 18 and older, who did not show excessive gambling problems, but who had played video lotteries at least once during the last 6 months. The participants were randomly assigned into one of three groups, where they gambled in the presence of an accomplicewho verbalized three types of perceptions: (1) the accomplice emitted erroneous thoughts about gambling,(2) the accomplice verbalized adequate thoughts about gambling, or (3) the accomplice did not speak. Results showed that players exposed to an accomplice's erroneous verbalizations took significantly more risksthan players in the other two groups. Erroneous perceptions appear to be easily transmissible and have impacts on gambling behaviour. The practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.     

The use of messages in altering risky gambling behavior in experienced gamblers

The present study was an experimental analogue that examined the relationship between gambling-related irrational beliefs and risky gambling behavior. Eighty high-frequency gamblers were randomly assigned to four conditions and played a chance-based computer game in a laboratory setting. Depending on the condition, during the game a pop-up screen repeatedly displayed either accurate or inaccurate messages concerning the game, neutral messages, or no messages. Consistent with a cognitive-behavioral model of gambling, accurate messages that correctly described the random contingencies governing the game decreased risky gambling behavior. Contrary to predictions, inaccurate messages designed to mimic gamblers' irrational beliefs about their abilities to influence chance events did not lead to more risky gambling behavior than exposure to neutral or no messages. Participants in the latter three conditions did not differ significantly from one another and all showed riskier gambling behavior than participants in the accurate message condition. The results suggest that harm minimization strategies that help individuals maintain a rational perspective while gambling may protect them from unreasonable risk-taking.     

Personality,Luck Beliefs,and (Non-?) Problem Lottery Gambling

This study offers both the first systematic investigation of the relationship between the five-factor personality model and general (ostensibly non-problem) lottery gambling, and the first application of Thompson and Prendergast’s (2013) bidimensional model of luck beliefs to gambling behavior. Cross-sectional analyses (N = 844) indicate the bidimensional model of luck beliefs significantly accounts for variance in lottery gambling that is discrete from and greater than that of the five-factor personality model. Moreover, the broad pattern of relationships we find between presumably harmless state-sponsored lottery gambling and both personality and luck beliefs tend to parallel those found in studies of problem gambling, suggesting implications for quality of life and public policy in relation to lottery gambling.

     

测验与反馈在分段视频学习中的作用

分段原则是多媒体和视频学习中通过分段促进学习的重要原则。本研究探讨了测验和反馈对分段的影响。实验1对比了观看分段视频和在分段中进行测验两种情境,结果表明分段中测验会提高学习表现。实验2对比了分段视频、分段中测验和分段中测验并提供反馈三种情境。结果发现分段组与分段测验组之间没有差异,接受反馈的学习者学习表现最好。结果表明在分段视频中测验和反馈具有积极效应,对多媒体和线上学习具有潜在的意义。     

"It Could Be Us!": Cognitive and Social Psychological Factors in UK National Lottery Play

This study examines the cognitive and social psychological factors underlying UK National Lottery play. A total of 384 respondents were asked about their own lottery playing behaviours, their knowledge of lottery odds and their beliefs about the role of skill, chance, luck and optimism in lottery play. Using hypothetical scenarios, respondents were also asked to rate the likelihood of winning the lottery jackpot (matching all six numbers) with number combinations reflecting different levels of apparent randomness, previous matches, near misses and prize size manipulations. Frequency of lottery play was found to be positively correlated with age, income, Instants scratchcard play, gambling on horse/greyhound racing, the football pools, and bingo as well as with beliefs about skill, luck and optimism. Frequency of lottery play was negatively correlated with general education and estimate of relative win likelihoods based on the perceived randomness of number combinations. Planned contrasts revealed that compared to individual (non‐syndicate) players, syndicate lottery players played more regularly and gambled more on the football pools. Results are discussed in the light of current cognitive theories surrounding the misperception of probability and their relation to lottery play and in the need for future models to recognise the social factors inherent in syndicate‐based lottery participation.     

Multiple Risk Factors for Frequent and Problem Gambling: Individual, Social, and Ecological

We analyzed data for a national U.S. telephone survey. Most likely to have gambled in the past year were those whose friends and families looked favorably on gambling, Catholics, young adults, and those who live close to a lottery outlet. Most likely to have gambled frequently in the past year were those whose friends look favorably on gambling and those who live close to a lottery outlet. Most likely to be problem gamblers were Blacks, those who smoke or who are alcohol dependent, and those who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The decision to gamble is influenced by social milieu and values, while risk for problem gambling is influenced by proneness to problem behaviors and by disadvantaged status. Availability of gambling influences all gambling involvement.     

Examining action effects in the execution of a skilled soccer kick by using erroneous feedback

The authors examined the role of action effects (i.e., ball trajectory) during the performance of a soccer kick. Participants were 20 expert players who kicked a ball over a height barrier toward a ground-level target. The authors occluded participants' vision of the ball trajectory after foot-to-ball contact. Participants in a 1st group received erroneous feedback from a video that showed a ball-trajectory apex approximately 75 cm lower than that of their actual kick, although the ball's landing position was unaltered. Participants in a 2nd group received correct video feedback of both the ball trajectory and the landing position. The erroneous-feedback group showed a significant bias toward higher ball trajectories than did the correct-feedback group. The authors conclude that performers at high levels of skill use the visual consequences of the action to plan and execute an action.     

Examining Action Effects in the Execution of a Skilled Soccer Kick by Using Erroneous Feedback

The authors examined the role of action effects (i.e., ball trajectory) during the performance of a soccer kick. Participants were 20 expert players who kicked a ball over a height barrier toward a ground-level target. The authors occluded participants' vision of the ball trajectory after foot-to-ball contact. Participants in a 1st group received erroneous feedback from a video that showed a ball-trajectory apex approximately 75 cm lower than that of their actual kick, although the ball's landing position was unaltered. Participants in a 2nd group received correct video feedback of both the ball trajectory and the landing position. The erroneous-feedback group showed a significant bias toward higher ball trajectories than did the correct-feedback group. The authors conclude that performers at high levels of skill use the visual consequences of the action to plan and execute an action.     

Prevention of pathological gambling: a randomized controlled trial

Although the gambling industry is expanding rapidly throughout North America and around the world, there are only a few empirically evaluated programs aimed at the prevention of pathological gambling (PG). The purpose of this study was to measure the effectiveness of a new prevention program aimed at PG. The Stop & Think! program was designed to teach at-risk video lottery terminal (VLT) gamblers cognitive restructuring and problem-solving skills that may help to prevent the development of PG. These skills were taught through a variety of methods - including an automated educational presentation, video and text vignettes, audio training tapes, and skill rehearsal. The program was evaluated using a randomized, 2-group experimental design with a wait-list control group and pre-, post-, and follow-up measures. Results indicated that, compared with the control group, the experimental group was less at risk for developing a gambling problem after the program. The experimental group endorsed fewer gambling-related cognitive distortions, engaged in less VLT gambling, and had lower scores on a measure of PG. The results of this study provide the basis for the implementation of the Stop & Think! program in the province of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and perhaps other jurisdictions too.     

Comparing gain- and loss-framed messages for smoking cessation with sustained-release bupropion: a randomized controlled trial.

Prospect theory suggests that because smoking cessation is a prevention behavior with a fairly certain outcome, gain-framed messages will be more persuasive than loss-framed messages when attempting to encourage smoking cessation. To test this hypothesis, the authors randomly assigned participants (N=258) in a clinical trial to either a gain- or loss-framed condition, in which they received factually equivalent video and printed messages encouraging smoking cessation that emphasized either the benefits of quitting (gains) or the costs of continuing to smoke (losses), respectively. All participants received open label sustained-release bupropion (300 mg/day) for 7 weeks. In the intent-to-treat analysis, the difference between the experimental groups by either point prevalence or continuous abstinence was not statistically significant. Among 170 treatment completers, however, a significantly higher proportion of participants were continuously abstinent in the gain-framed condition as compared with the loss-framed condition. These data suggest that gain-framed messages may be more persuasive than loss-framed messages in promoting early success in smoking cessation for participants who are engaged in treatment.     

Trauma history and severity of gambling involvement among horse-race gamblers in a South African gambling setting

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the frequency of gambling involvement and the prevalence of problem gambling among horse race gamblers and to discover whether problem gambling in this sample is associated with a history of trauma. Among a sample of 266 South African horse-race gamblers (94% men and 6% women, Mage 46.8 yr., SD = 13.9, range 18-85 years), 31.2% were classified as probable pathological gamblers and 19.9% with problem gambling. Major weekly gambling activities included racetrack betting (82%), purchase of lottery tickets or scratch tickets (35%), purchase of sports lottery tickets (23%), and using casino type games (18%). Trauma history was significantly associated with gambling severity.     

Facilitating children's understanding of misinterpretation: explanatory efforts and improvements in perspective taking

The authors investigated children's understanding of how mistaken beliefs can arise through misinterpretation of ambiguous information. Children (N = 91), aged 4 to 5 years, were given pre- and posttests on their ability to infer a puppet's interpretation of a restricted-view drawing after the puppet had been led to an erroneous expectation about the drawing's identity. Before the posttest, the children received either self-explanation training or other-explanation training in which they explained the source of their own or a puppet's misinterpretations of drawings; a control group received no training. The children who received training improved from pre- to posttest, and those who had practiced explaining misinterpretations by referring to previously viewed pictures or to features of a target picture showed the greatest improvement. These results indicate that learning to explain misinterpretations can help children recognize situations in which misinterpretations are likely to occur.     

彩民命运控制对问题购彩的影响:购彩预期和购彩意向的链式中介作用

为考察命运控制对彩民问题购彩的影响,以及购彩预期和购彩意向在其中的链式中介作用,本研究采用问卷法对2538名彩民进行调查。结果发现:(1)彩民问题购彩与命运控制、购彩预期和购彩意向均存在正相关;(2)命运控制不仅能直接预测问题购彩,还能通过两条路径的间接作用影响彩民的问题购彩:购彩意向的中介作用;购彩预期和购彩意向的链式中介作用。本研究构建的中介效应模型在一定程度上揭示了命运控制影响彩民问题购彩的内在机制。     

Health Promotion,Health Locus of Control,and Health Behavior: Two Field Experiments1

In spite of a sizable body of research on the effects of information promotions on health knowledge and health behavior, relatively little is known about how such efforts affect change (or why they do not). This paper addresses that problem by exploring the particular role that health locus of control (HLC) beliefs play in individual responses to health promotion efforts aimed at encouraging preventive health behaviors. Two field experiments are presented. The first experiment examined the extent to which HLC beliefs are related to differences in individual levels of health knowledge following the distribution of an informational booklet on health. Internals high on health value who received the information booklet demonstrated greater health knowledge three months later than did other subjects, although this difference was greater among men than among women. The second experiment explored how HLC beliefs interact with differently framed “control” messages to promote behavior change in breast self-examination (BSE). HLC beliefs interacted with the control language of the BSE promotional message and a neutral reminder to affect subsequent BSE practice. Together, these studies suggest a more influential role for health locus of control beliefs in shaping responses to health messages than has previously been documented in field settings.     

Suboptimal exposure to facial expressions when viewing video messages from a small screen: effects on emotion, attention, and memory

The authors examined the effects of suboptimally presented facial expressions on emotional and attentional responses and memory among 39 young adults viewing video (business news) messages from a small screen. Facial electromyography (EMG) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia were used as physiological measures of emotion and attention, respectively. Several congruency priming effects were found. In particular, happy facial primes prompted increased (a) pleasure ratings, (b) orbicularis oculi EMG activity, (c) perceived trustworthiness, and (d) recognition memory for video messages with a positive emotional tone. Emotional and other responses to video messages presented on a small screen can be modified with suboptimal affective primes, but even small differences in the emotional tone of the messages should be allowed for.     

Wagering on a large scale: Relationships between public gambling and game manipulations in two state lotteries

Public wagering was examined in relation to game adjustments during the first 523 draws of Oregon's "Megabucks" lottery and the first 540 draws of Arizona's "The Pick" lottery. Oregon's lottery was modified five times during this period, and Arizona's lottery underwent four modifications. Public wagering was not related to decreases in the odds of winning in either state. Wagering increased in both states following the introduction of a minimum $1 million jackpot. Wagering also increased following a change in game frequency from weekly to semiweekly draws. Sales trends in both states suggest that over the period examined, larger jackpots were required to maintain previous levels of lottery play. These data suggest that public participation in gambling can be manipulated by state lottery commissions through adjustments in lottery contingencies.