LEARNING THEORY

• Reinforcement

  A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. Can be positive or negative
• Partial reinforcement

  A behaviour is reinforced only some of the time it occurs
• Variable reinforcement

  A type of partial reinforcement in which a behaviour is reinforced after an unpredictable period of time or number of responses
• Vicarious reinforcement

  Occurs when seeing others being rewarded for their gambling through pleasure, enjoyment and occasionally money
• Vicarious reinforcement doesn't have to be direct observation of other people's behaviour. Newspapers, magazines and other media report positively on big lottery winners, or broadcast the glamour and excitement of horse racing, for example
• A continuous reinforcement schedule, which rewards every correct response, does not lead to the most persistent behaviour. But a partial reinforcement schedule does create the kind of persistent behaviour that is seen in gambling addiction
• Under a variable reinforcement schedule, a reward is given after an unpredictable number of responses. This produces the most persistent learning
• This helps to explain why some people continue to gamble despite big losses. The gambler learns that they will not win with every gamble, but they will eventually win if they persist
• Cue reactivity

  The physiological and psychological response produced by the presence of stimuli associated with gambling
• Experienced gamblers encounter many secondary reinforcers, stimuli that become reinforcing because of their associations with exciting arousal
• Examples of secondary reinforcers for gambling

  • The atmosphere of a betting shop
  • The colourful look of lottery scratch cards
  • A TV horse racing channel
  • The exciting sounds of internet betting sites