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An Expert Map of Gambling Risk Perception

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Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the moderating or mediating role played by risk perception in decision-making, gambling behaviour, and disordered gambling aetiology. Eleven gambling expert clinicians and researchers completed a semi-structured interview derived from mental models and grounded theory methodologies. Expert interview data was used to construct a comprehensive expert mental model ‘map’ detailing risk-perception related factors contributing to harmful or safe gambling. Systematic overlapping processes of data gathering and analysis were used to iteratively extend, saturate, test for exception, and verify concepts and emergent themes. Findings indicated that experts considered idiosyncratic beliefs among gamblers result in overall underestimates of risk and loss, insufficient prioritization of needs, and planning and implementation of risk management strategies. Additional contextual factors influencing use of risk information (reinforcement and learning; mental states, environmental cues, ambivalence; and socio-cultural and biological variables) acted to shape risk perceptions and increase vulnerabilities to harm or disordered gambling. It was concluded that understanding the nature, extent and processes by which risk perception predisposes an individual to maintain gambling despite adverse consequences can guide the content of preventative educational responsible gambling campaigns.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Griffith Taylor Building (A18), Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Michael Spurrier, Alexander Blaszczynski & Paul Rhodes

Authors
  1. Michael Spurrier
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  2. Alexander Blaszczynski
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  3. Paul Rhodes
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexander Blaszczynski.

Appendix 1: Sample Interview Questions

Appendix 1: Sample Interview Questions

  1. 1.

    How do people scan, filter and interpret information about gambling risks and problems (particularly in relation to their own vulnerability to or experience of harm)?

  2. 2.

    Do beliefs and thoughts mediate how people measure benefits/problems associated with gambling? If so do these beliefs therefore mediate how vulnerable people are to harm? How?

  3. 3.

    Do beliefs/thoughts about gambling risks change during the process of gambling? How? Why? How do these beliefs/thoughts influence gambling behaviour?

  4. 4.

    What do people do to address or compensate for gambling risks or problems?

  5. 5.

    Does experience mediate people’s schema/beliefs about gambling risk? How?

  6. 6.

    Do disordered gamblers have patterns of significantly different:

    • Experiences

    • Evaluations of those experiences

    • Cognitions while gambling

    • Stable beliefs about the nature of gambling, risks and hazards

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Spurrier, M., Blaszczynski, A. & Rhodes, P. An Expert Map of Gambling Risk Perception. J Gambl Stud 31, 1579–1595 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-014-9486-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-014-9486-x

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