TITLE
Habitual Gamblers See Patterns Where There Are None, Study Says

DESCRIPTION

In a study that compared/contrasted habitual gamblers vs non gamblers, the researchers found that the gamblers were more likely to make impulsive bets in situations that they judged to be perceived patterns even though the events (slot machine probabilities) were random.  “Researchers have found gamblers are more prone to find non-existent patterns in completely random sequences — and are more likely to bet on those erroneous perceptions — adding to a large amount of research that suggests pathological gambling is the result of cognitive distortions.”   Further the research suggests, “…evidence for the assumption that gamblers are particularly prone to perceiving illusory patterns and are more impulsive than others.

SOURCE

Time Magazine, April 30, 2015, by Kevin McSpadden

ORIGINAL SOURCE:

Gaissmaier, W., and others, (April 2015). Betting on illusory patterns: Probability matching in habitual gamblers, Journal of Gambling Studies.  DOI   10.1007/s10899-015-9539-9

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://time.com/3841369/gamblers-gambling-addiction-gaming-patterns/

(shortened URL)    http://tinyurl.com/kf38up9

ORIGINAL SOURCE LINK:   https://www.springer.com/gp/about-springer/media/springer-select/gambling-is-all-an-illusion-/256170

(shortened URL)    http://tinyurl.com/ofgo8ce

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•This discussion can be used in a number of ways:
•Science and the perception of patterns in random events
•Understanding probability, illusory patterns, and scientific reasoning
•Addiction and gambling