Articles on Psychology and Gambling

Can Our Brains
Help Us Solve Conflicts?

From industrial action to curfew battles, conflicts are everywhere.
But what does neuroscience say about solving disputes and becoming better negotiators?
more here

Evidence Of
'Risk-Taking' Brain

A small study from Vanderbilt University in the US found the
biggest "risk-takers" processed
a brain "reward" chemical
dopamine differently.
more here

Study Aims To Identify Persons
At-Risk For Problem Gambling

Although gambling can simply be a form of entertainment for most individuals, for a significant minority it may lead to serious social, financial and psychological problems. more

'Internet Addiction' Could Appear On The List Of Mental Illnesses

Alcohol, drugs, gambling -- three of the greatest and most dangerous vices. Drop your guard for just a moment and you might soon find yourself greasy in a dank gutter. more

Psychiatrists Weigh
Diagnostic Manual Revision

The American Psychiatric Association is proposing changes to the manual doctors use to diagnose and treat mental disorders including autism, addictions and schizophrenia. more

Slot-Machine Gamblers
Are Hard To Pin Down

It's hard to get good payoffs from slot machines. But it's also hard to get good information from slot machine gamblers, and that made things awkward for psychologists. more here

Blood Glucose Levels
May Affect Decision-Making

Psychological scientists X.T. Wang
and Robert D. Dvorak looked
into how blood glucose levels affect our thinking about present and
future rewards.
more here

Hormone Linked To
Addiction, Risk-Taking

People with high levels of the hormone dopamine in the brain,
and low sensitivity to it, tend to be greater risk takers and may be more prone to addictive behavior.
more

Parkinson's Patients Shed
Light On Role Of Reward Bias

The tendency to make a compulsive choice, even when faced with substantial negative outcomes and alternative choices, is characteristic of aberrant gambling behaviors. more

Why Do People 'Play The
Longshot' And Buy Insurance?

Why do some people like to take risks by playing "longshot" payoffs while,
on the other hand, taking the opposite tack by buying insurance
to reduce risks?
more here