Abstract
Most social science explanations emphasize idiosyncratic or psychopathological motivation for gambling behavior. These explanations understate the fundamental significance of conventional social structural and cultural factors in determining the meaning and outcome of human social behavior such as gambling. They also neglect the gradual process by which the individual is socialized into the gambling subculture with its roles, norms, and values and the process by which subculture is internalized eventually as cognitive rules which distinguish the gambler from the nongambler. The synoptic model presented in this paper proposes a process by which gamblers continuously compare their gambling behavior with the cognitive rules with which they define gambling. The degree of consonance gamblers perceive between their own gambling behavior and their cognitive image of the standard gambler determines the gambler's behavior in subsequent gambling events.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abt, V., & Smith, J. (In press). Playing the game in mainstream America. In F. Manning (Ed.),Worlds of play: The proceedings of the 1981 association for the anthropological study of play. West Point: Leisure Press.
Abt, V., McGurrin, M., & Smith, J. (1982).Play or pathology: A new look at the gambler and his world. Paper presented at the meeting of the Association for the Anthropological Study of Plan. London, Ontario.
Abt, V., & Smith, J. (1981).Ritual, risk, and reward: A role analysis of race track and casino encounters. Paper presented at the Fifth National Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Block, H. (1951). The sociology of gambling.American Journal of Sociology, 57 215–221.
Botscharow, L. (1982).You bet your life: The professional horseplayer as American head. Paper presented at the 12th annual Popular Culture Association Conference. Louisville, Kentucky.
Cicourel, A. (1970). Basic and normative rules in the negotiation of status and role. In H. Dreitzel (Ed.),Recent sociology. New York: MacMillan.
Dielman, T. (1979). Gambling: A social problem?Journal of Social Issues.35 36–42.
Festinger, L. (1957).A theory of cognitive dissonance. Evanston, Ill.: Peterson, & Co.
Geertz, C. (1973).The interpretation of cultures. New York: Basic Books.
Goffman, E. (1961).Encounters. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill.
Goffman, E. (1974).Frame analysis. Cambridge, Harvard University Press.
Goffman, E. (1967).Interaction ritual. New York: Anchor Books, 1967.
Herman, R. (1967). Gambling as work: A sociological study of the race track. In R. Herman (Ed.),Gambling. New York: Harper & Row.
Kallick, M., Suits, D. Dielman, T., & Hybels, J. (1976).A survey of American gambling attitudes and behavior. Appendix 2 to Gambling in America. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Karlins, M. (1982). The psychological edge: Life in a house of mirrors.Gambling Times, 6 44–45.
Knapp, T. (1976).A functional analysis of gambling behavior. In W. Eadington (Ed.),Gambling and society: Interdisciplinary studies on the subject of gambling. Springfield: Charles C Thomas.
Knowles, E. (1976). Searching for motivation in risk-taking and gambling. In W. Eadington (Ed.),Gambling and society: Interdisciplinary studies on the subject of gambling. Springfield: Charles C Thomas.
Kogan, N. & Wallach, M.A. (1964).Risk Taking: A study in cognition and personality. New York: Holt.
Kuhn, A. (1974).The logic of social systems. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Kusyszyn, I. (1978). Compulsive gambling: The problem of definition.International Journal of the Addictions, 13 1095–1101.
Ladouceur, R. & Maryrand, M. (1981).Evaluation of the illusion of control. Presented to the Fifth National Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
LangLi, W. & Smith, M. (1976). The propensity to gamble: Some structural determinants. In W. Eadington (Ed.),Gambling and society: Interdisciplinary studies on the subject of gambling. Springfield: Charles C Thomas.
Lesieur, H. (1977).The chase: Career of the compulsive gambler. Garden City: Anchor.
Livingston, J. (1974). Compulsive gambling: A culture of losers.Psychology Today, 7 51–55.
Moravec, J. & Munley, P. (1981). Psychological test findings on pathological Gambler in treatment. Presented to the Fifth National Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking. Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Parsons, T. & Shils, E. (Eds.) (1957).Toward a general theory of action. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Sanders, G. (1978). An integration of shifts toward risk and caution in gambling situations.Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 14 409–416.
Skolnick, J. (1978).House of cards: The legalization and control of casino gambling. Boston: Little, Brown.
Snyder, W. (1978). Decision-making with risk and uncertainty: The case of horseracing.American Journal of Psychology, 91 201–209.
Totman, R. (1980).Social causes of illness. New York: Pantheon.
Zola, I. (1967). Observations on gambling in a lower-class setting. In R. Herman (Ed.),Gambling. New York: Harper & Row.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abt, V., McGurrin, M.C. & Smith, J.F. Toward a synoptic model of gambling behavior. J Gambling Stud 1, 79–88 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01019860
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01019860