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Gambling Associated Risk-taking Behaviors Correlate with Emotional Regulation and the Iowa Gambling Task but not
Vance MacLaren1, Valerie McDonald2, Kayla B Hollett2
1Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, P.O. Box 4200, A1C-5S7, St. John's, NL, Canada. vvmaclaren@mun.ca.
Journal of Gambling Studies
|September 6, 2022
Summary
Novice gamblers may develop gambling disorder due to sensitivity to immediate rewards and poor emotional regulation, aligning with the Allostatic Model. This contrasts with the Pathways Model, offering new insights into gambling disorder etiology.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The etiology of Gambling Disorder remains unclear, with two prominent models offering competing explanations: the Pathways Model and the Allostatic Model.
- Understanding why some novice gamblers develop problematic behaviors while most do not is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test predictions from the Pathways Model and the Allostatic Model regarding the development of Gambling Disorder.
- To investigate the relationship between cognitive tasks, emotional regulation, and risk-taking behavior in novice gamblers.
Main Methods:
- 91 non-gambler novice participants completed computerized Iowa Gambling Task (IGT-2), Wisconsin Sorting Task (WCST-64), and Difficulties with Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS).
- Risk-taking was assessed via a 15-minute electronic slots game, with betting behavior recorded.
- Correlations were analyzed between task performance, DERS scores, and slots game betting patterns.
Main Results:
- Higher betting on the slots game correlated with more frequent advantageous selections on the IGT-2 and lower emotional regulation difficulties (DERS scores).
- Risk-taking was associated with frequent wins, disguised losses, bonus features, and large single-spin wins, but not with overall payback percentage.
- Post-game ratings positively correlated with the frequency of reinforcing outcomes during gameplay.
Conclusions:
- Novice gamblers' increased participation may be driven by heightened sensitivity to immediate rewards and difficulties in self-regulating negative emotions.
- Findings support the Allostatic Model's application to Gambling Disorder etiology.
- The results do not align with the predictions of the Pathways Model.
