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Gambling Addiction & Learning Theory

Psychology: AQA A Level, topic 17.1.8

Explaining Gambling Addiction Through Learning Theory

There are two main components to the learning theory: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Bandura (1977) used the theory to explain gambling addiction.

Classical conditioning

Classical conditioning

  • Classical conditioning involves three parts:
    • Unconditioned stimulus (US).
    • Unconditioned response (UR).
    • Conditioned response (CR).
Gambling

Gambling

  • In terms of gambling:
    • The US would be the gambling win.
    • The UR would be the excitement from the win.
    • The player would have an increased heart rate and rush of dopamine.
    • The CR develops by continually pairing the US and the UR.
    • The gambling win would create excitement, so players return to gambling to obtain the excitement.
Operant conditioning

Operant conditioning

  • Operant conditioning involves reinforcement.
  • Reinforcement is like a reward for doing a specific behaviour.
    • For example, a rat getting food for pressing a lever.
  • In the case of gambling, the reinforcement for gambling behaviour is the win.
  • But the win does not come after every gamble.
Variable reinforcement

Variable reinforcement

  • So there is only partial reinforcement because the gambler does not win every time.
  • The gambler continues to play to seek the reinforcement, not knowing when it will come.
  • This is known as a variable reinforcement because the pattern of reward fluctuates.
Research

Research

  • Studies have shown that variable reinforcement is enough to maintain a gambling addiction.
  • Gamblers will keep trying because the next time could be a big win.

Research Using Learning Theory to Explain Gambling Addiction

Skinner (1953) and Custer (1982) propose addiction develops as a result of an early big win (positive reinforcement). Bandura (1977) used the theory to explain gambling addiction.

Early big win

Early big win

  • Obviously, not everyone who gambles will develop an addiction.
  • Skinner (1953) suggested that for a gambling addiction to develop, the gambler must win big within the first few times they gamble.
  • A big win is a form of positive reinforcement, but this must happen early to reinforce gambling behaviour.
  • Custer (1982) also supported the idea that reinforcement is the result of a big win.
'Social push’

'Social push’

  • Social learning theory (Bandura, 1977) can also explain gambling behaviour.
  • People need someone to show them gambling in the first place.
  • In other words, they need a ‘social push’ to learn gambling behaviour.
Vicarious reinforcement

Vicarious reinforcement

  • Vicarious reinforcement is when a person observes someone receiving a reward for a certain behaviour.
  • So they may want to imitate that behaviour to get a reward as well.
    • For example, a child sees another child receive a sticker for cleaning up their desk. The child also wants a sticker, so cleans their desk.
Gambling

Gambling

  • In terms of gambling, a person can see another gambler win big.
  • So they want to win big as well and will start gambling.
Social learning theory

Social learning theory

  • Social learning theory explains why people first gamble.
  • Classical conditioning and operant conditioning explain why people continue to gamble.

Evaluation: Learning Theory Explanation of Gambling Addiction

The learning theory states that people develop gambling addiction through classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning.

Strengths

Strengths

  • First of all, the learning theory does demonstrate why gamblers continue to gamble even though they lose.
  • Variable reinforcement is enough for someone to keep gambling to seek the next win.
Support - Meyer et al. (2004)

Support - Meyer et al. (2004)

  • Meyer et al. (2004) compared heart rates in gambling addicts to non-problem gamblers.
  • They found that signs of excitement, such as heart rate, increased when the gamblers began to play betting games.
  • The gamblers heart rates were also significantly higher than the non-addicts.
  • In other words, the conditioned response was apparent in the gamblers.
Weaknesses

Weaknesses

  • The learning theory, like the cognitive theory, does not take into account other factors such as genetics or biochemistry.
  • There could be other reasons why people develop gambling addictions, such as increased dopamine levels in the brain (neurochemistry approach).
Generalisability

Generalisability

  • The behavioural learning theory (Skinner, 1953) drew conclusions based on animal studies of rats and pigeons.
  • So the findings cannot and should not be generalised to humans.
Biases

Biases

  • Finally, gamblers tend to develop cognitive biases (as explained by the cognitive theory).
  • The learning theory does not explain how these biases form.

Test yourself on Gambling Addiction & Learning Theory

  • Who did NOT use learning theory to study gambling addiction?

  • Watching someone else win big is an example of what?

  • What is NOT something that learning theory states people develop gambling addiction through?

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