Original Article
Problem gamblers are hyposensitive to wins: An analysis of skin conductance responses during actual gambling on electronic gaming machines
Lisa Lole,
Craig J. Gonsalvez,
Robert J. Barry,
Alex Blaszczynski,
Corresponding Author
Lisa Lole
School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Brain & Behaviour Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Address correspondence to: Lisa Lole, School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave., North Wollongong NSW 2522, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorCraig J. Gonsalvez
School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Brain & Behaviour Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Illawarra Institute for Mental Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorRobert J. Barry
School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Brain & Behaviour Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Centre for Psychophysics, Psychophysiology, and Psychopharmacology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorAlex Blaszczynski
School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorLisa Lole,
Craig J. Gonsalvez,
Robert J. Barry,
Alex Blaszczynski,
Corresponding Author
Lisa Lole
School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Brain & Behaviour Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Address correspondence to: Lisa Lole, School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave., North Wollongong NSW 2522, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorCraig J. Gonsalvez
School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Brain & Behaviour Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Illawarra Institute for Mental Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorRobert J. Barry
School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Brain & Behaviour Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Centre for Psychophysics, Psychophysiology, and Psychopharmacology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorAlex Blaszczynski
School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorThis research was funded by Australian Research Council Linkage Grant LP0776836.
Abstract
Physiological arousal is purportedly a key determinant in the development and maintenance of gambling behaviors, with problem gambling conceptualized in terms of abnormal autonomic responses. Theoretical conceptualizations of problem gambling are discordant regarding the nature of deficit in this disorder; some accounts posit that problem gamblers are hypersensitive to reward, and others that they are hyposensitive to reward and/or punishment. Previous research examining phasic electrodermal responses in gamblers has been limited to laboratory settings, and reactions to real gaming situations need to be examined. Skin conductance responses (SCRs) to losses, wins, and losses disguised as wins (LDWs) were recorded from 15 problem gamblers (PGs) and 15 nonproblem gamblers (NPGs) while they wagered their own money during electronic gaming machine play. PGs demonstrated significantly reduced SCRs to reward. SCRs to losses and LDWs did not differ for either PGs or NPGs. This hyposensitivity to wins may reflect abnormalities in incentive processing, and may represent a potential biological marker for problem gambling.
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