The relationship between aversive conditioning and risk-avoidance in gambling.
This study investigated the relationship between aversive conditioning, heart rate variability suppression, behavioral activation system/behavioral inhibition system and risk-avoidance on the Iowa gambling task (IGT) in a nonclinical sample (29 male, 29 female, mean age = 20.7). A laboratory based Pavlovian aversive conditioning paradigm was used where a 1500 Hz tone (CS+) was followed by a burst of loud white noise (US), and a 850 Hz (CS-) tone was never followed by the US. In a subsequent extinction phase where the CS+ and CS- were presented without the US, conditioned skin conductance responses to the CS+ indicated aversive conditioning. The results showed that the participants who did not show aversive conditioning (N = 26) exhibited significantly less risk-avoidance compared to participants who did show aversive conditioning (N = 32). Regression analysis showed that among the study variables, only aversive conditioning contributed significantly to explaining variance in risk-avoidance. These results may have implications for understanding risk-taking in gambling in general, and may be a starting point understanding the role of aversive conditioning in the development and maintenance of gambling problems.
Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christiesgate 12, 5020, Bergen, Norway. geir.brunborg@psysp.uib.no
Geir Scott
GS
Brunborg
Bjørn Helge
BH
Johnsen
Ståle
S
Pallesen
Helge
H
Molde
Rune Aune
RA
Mentzoni
Helga
H
Myrseth
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D055815:Young Adult