| THE
PSYCHOLOGY OF GAMBLING
There are two general
views on what gambling means to the psychological makeup
of human beings: One, that gambling is a form of deviant
behavior; And two, that gambling is an extension of
normal behavior.
Many people presume that
gambling is abnormal or detrimental to ones self
interest. Those who espouse these ideas usually focus
their concern on unconventional and strange modes of
gambling, such as the criminal rings who use the revenue
from gambling to support their illegal activities. These
people also question, due to their unfamiliarity, the
practice of risking money on uncertainties, such as the
stock market. They do not seem to understand the concept
of making speculations about the economy, and in taking
calculated risks with investments. As to their
definition of gambling, there is a difficulty in
pinpointing what they consider it to be - Whether
it is as conventionally defined, or, whether it is what
they consider to be "unreasonable" risk
taking. Their differentiation between what they consider
to be reasonable and unreasonable often sits on the
notions whether work is productive or not, whether
forfeitures resulting from bad decisions can be
regained, whether the decision making process is based
on tangible and sound evidence, and whether investment
practices are voluntary or are demanded by normal
phenomenon.
Psychologists and
behavioral scientists have some interesting ideas about
the methods of clinically diagnosing gamblers.
There are some who claim that gambling is an expression
of a pathological and/or neurotic individual, which can
only be treated by psychological reformation. This
reformation includes an encouragement of the gambler to
use introspection to look at their childhood, current
fears and past hardships - sometimes accompanied by the
use of prescribed drugs. There are some
psychologists who believe that "Lady Luck"
symbolically replaces a gamblers mother, and/or,
represents the motherhood state in general. The
reason why behavioral scientists say gamblers cannot
quit while they are winning is because they desire to
actually lose their money, so as to be punished for
unresolved tensions and internal conflicts in their
lives. In other words, on a deep psychological
level, these "true" gamblers want to lose all
their money so that they can reach a state of
nothingness and despair - All initiated by a past action
that the gambler has not resolved in the subconscious,
resulting in an overwhelming sense of guilt.
When gambling is looked
upon as a natural extension of what it means to live,
rather than a form of misguided behavior, motives for
gambling are believed to be more instinctual and
rational. In other words, in this light gambling
can be looked upon as a leisure activity; And most
psychologists agree that leisure is essential in living
a well balanced life. The simple fact that
gambling games are frivolous to a certain degree is
precisely what makes them enjoyable to a gambler.
The idea of betting money is tempting and exhilarating;
However, this feeling is not exclusive to all gamblers.
More often than not, after losing money on a poorly
decided wager (as opposed to a pathological decision), a
gambler will continue to keep betting in hopes of
recouping their losses. Therefore, it is not a
matter of wanting to lose. Gambling is also
popular for the entertainment value it offers.
Although online gamblers are not so much concerned with
this aspect, many Vegas casino goers find this to be an
essential atmosphere in their gambling ventures.
Those who defend against governmental attacks on
gambling state that the main reason gambling is
associated with crime is because many governments use
propaganda tactics to give gambling a criminal
definition, rather than one befitting a simple, everyday
activity proper for a normal life.
The psychology of
gambling can be best understood if one examines the two
extreme views regarding what gambling is. On one
hand, there are those who view gambling as a disease and
sickness, while on the other hand, there are those who
see gambling so involved in and integral to the daily
affairs of humans, that it requires no interpretation or
moderation. Finding a stance between these these
two sides, whether it is a balanced stance or not, has
been the task of many governments in countries where
gambling is tolerated to any degree whatsoever.
|
