‘This slot is hotter than that one’: symbolic generalization of slot machine preference in simulated gambling

ABSTRACT

Slot-machine choice may be influenced by structural features like display labels, independent of the programmed payout probability. Gambling choice may then involve verbal descriptions or rules comparing machines based on structural characteristics such as “this one is better than another. This study developed an experimental analogue examining how display labels influences choices in simulated slot-machine gambling. Eighty-eight participants learned a relational series of arbitrary nonsense words that were either ‘more-than’ (E > D > C > B > A) or ‘less-than’ (A < B < C < D < E). Participants were then exposed to a slot-machine payout probability phase to establish one machine, labelled with the middle-ranking word, C, as having a low likelihood of winning. Another machine, labelled with a novel word, X, had a high likelihood of winning. In the test phase, participants were given choices of slot-machines labelled with all remaining nonsense words. It was predicted that slot-machine choices would be influenced by the underlying relational hierarchy of nonsense words. Findings supported this, with choices showing a gradient-like pattern, despite no prior experience with the payout probabilities. This suggests that slot-machine choices could be influenced by structural properties, and not just payout probability.

KEYWORDS:

• Slot-machine gambling
• payout percentage
• preferences
• symbolic generalization
• relational frame theory

Conflict of interest

Funding sources

This research did not receive any funding.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alice E. Hoon

Dr Alice E. Hoon is a Senior Lecturer at Swansea University Medical School. She has been conducting gambling research over the past 10 years and has published numerous peer reviewed papers on gambling behaviour. Her research interests include gambling behaviour, acceptance and commitment therapy, and relational frame theory.

Craig Bickford

Mr Craig Bickford completed his undergraduate dissertation on structural characteristics of slot machine gambling. Mr Bickford is an English teacher currently living in Taipei, Taiwan. His interests include language acquisition, childhood development and addiction. Alongside teaching Craig also studies Mandarin and is an avid traveller.

Lotte Samuels

Ms Lotte Samuels is a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner within the NHS. She has also worked as a Research Assistant for Kings College London. Ms Samuels completed her undergraduate dissertation on structural characteristics of slot machine gambling.

Simon Dymond

Professor Simon Dymond is a Professor of Psychology and Behaviour Analysis at Swansea University, where he is Director of the Experimental Psychopathology Laboratory. Professor Dymond’s lab investigates human learning and emotion systems underpinning adaptive behaviour, in healthy and patient populations.