Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Open Access Thesis
Keywords
Fortune; Gamblers--Attitudes; Gambling; Academic theses;
Abstract
Current research examining situations that elicit gambling behaviors have tended to focus on many structural features such as the "near miss" phenomenon. This is the idea that individuals will play longer on a slot machine that almost lands on a jackpot symbol than one that does not. Until now this research has focused mainly on a near "win" situation and ignored what will be called a near "loss" situation. Previous findings indicate that by experiencing a near loss, a participant will perceive that he/she has more personal good luck than those individuals who experience a near win. The study presented here compares the effects of near win/loss situations by offering participants the opportunity to play a Wheel of Fortune slot machine. This program is similar to computerized slot machines used for online gambling, but each outcome/trial can be manipulated by the researcher. Near win/loss events were presented at a rate of 15, 30, or 45 percent of the total trials during an acquisition phase. Results indicate that participants play high density near win machines significantly more and this is explained by the desire of the participant to maintain internal/stable perceptions of luck. The findings present an interesting explanation as to why gamblers persist in spite of continued losses. A better understanding of the impact of the structural variables of a slot machine, such as a near win/loss event, can help explain gamblers' thought processes, emotions, and continued tendencies to gamble.
Year of Submission
2005
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Department of Psychology
First Advisor
Otto H. MacLin
Second Advisor
Frank Barrios
Third Advisor
Kim MacLin
Date Original
2005
Object Description
1 PDF file (72 leaves)
Copyright
©2005 Dustin Daugherty
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Daugherty, Dustin, "Perceptions of Luck and Gambling Patterns" (2005). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 2441.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/2441
Comments
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