MacLin Otrro H, Dixon Mark R, Daugherty Dustin, Small Stacey L
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA.
Behav Res Methods. 2007 May;39(2):237-41. doi: 10.3758/bf03193153.
The present article describes a software program in Visual Basic .NET designed to simulate three slot machines on a computer screen. This software is described in detail regarding utility, downloading, and usage; and data are presented illustrating the software's potential for researchers interested in gambling behavior. A simulation of multiple slot machines such as this enables researchers to evaluate players' preferences across various machines. In the highlighted experiment, 18 recreational slot machine players played the software for extra course credit and a chance at cash prizes. All participants played a version of the simulation in which every 5th response on average was a win, whereas the remaining trials were a loss. However, on those loss trials, a varying distribution of almost wins or near misses (i.e., two winning symbols on the payoff line and the final winning symbol directly above or below the payoff line) were presented in percentages of 15, 30, or 45. While no preferences across the three options could be predicted on the basis of reinforcement history alone, deviations from equal choices across the games were noted and appeared to be the result of the presentations of near-miss losing trials. Implications for a greater understanding of pathological gambling are presented.
本文介绍了一个用Visual Basic.NET编写的软件程序，旨在在计算机屏幕上模拟三台老虎机。详细描述了该软件的用途、下载和使用方法；并展示了数据，说明了该软件对研究赌博行为的研究人员的潜在价值。这样一个多台老虎机的模拟程序使研究人员能够评估玩家对各种老虎机的偏好。在重点实验中，18名休闲老虎机玩家为了获得额外的课程学分和赢得现金奖励的机会而玩该软件。所有参与者都玩了一个模拟版本，其中平均每5次响应中有1次是赢，而其余的试验都是输。然而，在那些输的试验中，几乎赢或接近赢（即赔付线上有两个赢的符号，最后一个赢的符号在赔付线正上方或正下方）的不同分布以15%、30%或45%的比例呈现。虽然仅根据强化历史无法预测在这三个选项之间的偏好，但注意到在不同游戏中的选择偏离了均等，这似乎是接近赢的输的试验呈现的结果。本文还阐述了对更深入理解病态赌博的启示。
