Updated 09 August 2005, 11.03
Risks of behaviour
- Learn a psychological explanation of gambling addiction.
- Discuss the issues surrounding children being protected from gambling.
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Ideas for discussion:
Is changing the law a good way of protecting children from gambling online?
What else could be done to protect children?
Do you think children should be allowed to decide for themselves?
If you think children should be allowed to gamble, how much?
Divide the class into small groups and get them to try and agree answers to the following two questions:
1. How does someone become addicted to gambling?
Behavioural psychologists give this explanation:
- When someone does something and gets a reward for doing it they are more likely to do it again. This is called 'positive reinforcement'.
- Gamblers get their rewards randomly (called 'variable reinforcement'). This is a more powerful way in which a habit can be formed.
Here's an example of how a gambling habit can start:
- A boy wins some money on a fruit machine.
- In real life, if he carries on he will continue to win 'every once in a while' even though he may be losing for most of the time. For instance, he may win £10 but lose £50 in the process.
2. How can someone overcome their gambling habit?
Ask students to produce an action plan to help someone overcome their addiction.
Here are some suggestions:
- Admit they have a gambling problem.
- Get help from family and friends.
- Contact a gambling counsellor.
- The gambler has learned that if they gamble for long enough they will eventually succeed. This is very difficult to unlearn.
On a positive note, students keep spending records for a week to keep track of where the majority of their money goes.
The data collected could be presented as a survey and is a positive habit for students to adopt.
Categories of spending could include:
Recap on the main teaching points and students present their opinions on the issues raised.