1. Today’s Agenda: Personality PPT Behavioral PPT Movie (contd).
Personality Theory & Behavioral Psychology: Unraveling the Motivations Behind Gambling
Today’s Agenda:
Personality PPT
Behavioral PPT
Movie (contd).

2. Personality Theory
Personality theory suggests that people’s attitudes and general behaviors are shaped by their individual personalities.
Two streams of thought with respect two how we develop our personality.
Predominantly formed through genetics
Predominantly formed through environment / early childhood experiences

3. Setting Origins Aside
Despite the pathway by which one’s personality is formed, having such a personality “predisposes the individual to behave in a certain way.”
Thus, personality theory has had it hands in the explanation of addictions as far back as the 1940’s.
Here, the exhibiting addictive behavior was thought to be inherent to a specific personality disorder, which distinguished the addict from the normal citizen.

4. Addiction Isn’t the Problem it’s the Personality
Problem gambling or pathological gambling then is just a symptom of a more enduring personality problem.
The gambling personality, supposedly highlights these characteristics and more:
Flashy
Manipulative
Grandiose
Overconfident
Impatient
Competitive
Energetic
Success Driven
Resourceful
Anti-social
Aggressive
Shallow
Immature
Impulsive

5. Search for an Identifying Trait
Unfortunately, empirical literature suggests that personality theory and it’s relation to gambling has been unsupported.
Meanwhile, their exists a consistent stream of research that continues to try to nail down a specific personality which reflects the problem/pathological gambler.
To date, research has yet to find such a personality, two predominant reasons for this are:
Infancy of gambling research (empirically driven)
Sampling bias

6. Trait Constellations
Since a single personality trait has not been found that predisposes one to gamble, researchers and clinicians have gone about to demarcate personality constellations.
The more common trait constellations put forth have been:
Sociopathic personality / anti social type
Paranoid personality type with depressive traits
Anxiety ridden with depressive traits
Depressive Psychopathic Deviant
Chronic Depressed with Traumatic Background
Situationally depressed periodic alcohol abuser
Success driven volatile narcissist

7. Trait Constellations – Not Supported
Despite the myriad of trait constellations, researchers have been unsuccessful in their attempts to isolate a personality trait or constellation of traits that may be responsible for gambling pathology, let alone any addictive behavior.
However, it is generally agreed amongst clinicians and gambling researchers, that personality does play a role in the development and progression of gambling addiction.
But such a constellation, interaction, and subsequent behavior is different for different games, thus it appears that their exists subtypes of problem / pathological gamblers.

8. Behavioral Psychology & Gambling
Learning theory and behavioral psychology, locates behavior outside of the individual, but always within his or her immediate environment.
They are not concerned with the unconscious, but exploring the motivations behind gambling (that can be observed).
Key to their claims is that the social gambler is essentially no different the pathological gambler. Except for the fact the heavy gambler has learned to gamble heavily and will suffer more consequences because of this.

9. Learning Theory and Schedules of Reinforcement
In explaining gambling behavior, learning theory/behaviorism rests on another key principle(s), schedules of reinforcement.
Thus, the gambler is conditioned to play because of reward and punishment.
Reward = win/near win, punishment = loss.