The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER Vol. 9(8) - Attribution, Addiction, and Gambling: Becoming What We’re Told We Are

Series Special Editor:Sarah E. Nelson Editor’s Note: This week's WAGER was co-authored by Harvard Medical School Division on Addictions (DOA) intern, William Ilott. Bill will finish his internship at the end of the month and pursue a career in an academic setting in the Boston area. Halfway through Ken Kesey’s book, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the audience learns that the mental patients on the ward to which the main character has been committed are there voluntarily. Even though we have learned that many of these patients have surmountable problems and do not belong in a lock-up facility, they... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 9(7) - Attribution, Addiction, and Gambling: To Do or Not to Do What We Believe Others Do?

Series Special Editor: Sarah E. Nelson It is a fact of life that people make some decisions based on personal perceptions of “normal” social behavior. If a person believes that his peers endorse the South Beach Diet (Agatston, 2003), he might think that the diet is the key to weight loss success. Consequently, that person might be more likely to hop on the dieting bandwagon. Some researchers believe that the same principle applies to gambling behavior—that is, a person who believes that most people consider gambling socially acceptable might be more likely to engage in higher levels of gambling activity.... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 9(6) - Attribution, Addiction, and Gambling: Seeing What We Expect to See

Series Special Editor: Sarah E. Nelson If you have followed the race for the United States democratic presidential nomination, you are probably familiar with the “Dean Scream.” The Dean Scream is the footage of Howard Dean’s uninhibited rally cry after losing the Iowa caucus: television, the Web, and even radio promos have played it repeatedly. One might argue that the excessive coverage and Dean’s consequent decline in popularity demonstrate a confirmation bias (see Nickerson, 1998, for a full review of the confirmation bias). Before his speech, Dean already had a reputation for his temper and failure to hold his tongue.... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 9(5) - Attribution, Addiction, and Gambling - Series Introduction

Series Special Editor:Sarah E. Nelson The Super Bowl is one of the most heavily wagered sporting events in the United States. One might explain this betting phenomenon in several ways. Perhaps the mere exposure to the hype that surrounds the Super Bowl accounts for increased betting. Or perhaps football fans are particularly vulnerable to betting on sporting events because they tend to share a common personality trait. However, personality traits and exposure rarely, if ever, entirely explain an individual’s specific behaviors. Rather, a more complete explanation of Super Bowl betting behavior requires consideration of people’s expectations about, and interpretations of,... Read more →