Gambling risk perception and decision making

Abstract

Cognitive and biopsychological research has identified a significant relationship between perception, decision making and the negative consequences associated with sustained gambling. Drug and alcohol research suggests that how individuals navigate decisions involving motivating but risky activities involves several important, distinct, but interrelated aspects of cognition. Nevertheless, risk perception and decision making has received little attention in the gambling literature. The aim of the current thesis therefore was to investigate risk perception in gambling, and to develop a model of gambling decision making mindful of risk perception concepts. The project applied the Mental Models methodology and included: a literature review, a qualitative study evaluating expert opinions regarding gambling risk decision making, a second qualitative study evaluating lay gambler mental models of risk, and a quantitative evaluation of risk perception and decision making concepts via a self-report questionnaire. Data from all phases of the project were used to develop an assessment tool (Gambling Risk Decisions Questionnaire) and theoretical model of gambling risk decision making. It was anticipated that understanding the processes by which risk perception predisposes an individual to maintain gambling despite adverse consequences would act as an invaluable guide for preventative educational campaigns, clinical treatment, and social policy interventions. Taken together, results of the four studies confirmed the importance of relationships between decision making, behaviour, consequences, and disorder, with disorder largely predictable based on several core decision making factors, despite individual variation in clinical presentation.