Gamb L approach

• Social Learning:

  ·         Many people start gambling by observing others and experiencing vicarious reinforcement

  ·         Observation may not always be direct (face to face), observation of role models could happen through the social media or in films for example (glamourisation of gambling).
• Classical Conditioning

  ·         Gambling UCS- raised heart rate UCR

  ·         Slot machine sounds NS- no response

  ·         Slot machine sounds CS- raised heart rate- CR

  ·         Other examples- sport associated with gambling, flashing lights associated with gambling
• Positive Reinforcement

  Positive Reinforcement

  ·         Through wins

  ·         Through the buzz of playing

  ·         ‘big win’ near the start

  ·         ‘near misses’- a short lived burst of excitement and tension
• Negative Reinforcement

  Escape from every day anxiety/reality
• Continuous reinforcement

  Behaviour is rewarded every time (can't consider gambling)
• Partial Reinforcement

  Behaiour is only rewarded some of the time
• Fixed Ratio

  Behaviour is rewarded on fixed schedule e.g every 2nd/4th time
• Variable Ratio

  Behaviour is rewarded on unpredictable schedule e.g after 1 response, then after 4 responses, then 5, then 9
• Relapse

  ·         Conditioned cues associated with gambling: adverts, colourful look of lottery scratch cards. Flashy casino environment, sounds, sights

  ·         When the person experiences the cue, they get the physiological and emotional reaction that gambling brings

  ·         Cues are everywhere (betting shops, gambling adverts)

  ·         This puts them at risk of relapse.