Loss-chasing in gambling behaviour: neurocognitive and behavioural economic perspectives

Publication date: February 2020Source: Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, Volume 31Author(s): Ke Zhang, Luke ClarkLoss-chasing describes the tendency of a gambler to amplify their betting in an effort to recoup prior losses. It is widely regarded as a defining feature of disordered gambling, and a hallmark of the transition from recreational to disordered gambling. We consider the empirical evidence for this central role of loss-chasing in disordered gambling. We highlight multiple behavioural expressions of chasing, including between-session and within-session chasing. From a neurocognitive perspective, loss-chasing could arise from compromised executive functions including inhibitory control, mood-related impulsivity (urgency) and compulsivity, for which there is compelling evidence in disordered gambling. This view is contrasted with a behavioural economic perspective that emphasizes the subjective valuation of outcomes to the gambler, and may better account for nuances in gamblers’ complex response to loss, such as the significance of ‘breaking even’. Neuroimaging and psychopharmacological research on loss-chasing may help to arbitrate between these two perspectives.

Source: Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences - November 4, 2019 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research