Problem gamblers go into a trancelike “zone” when they play slot machines, says a study conducted by the University of British Columbia.
The study supports the notion of a “slot machine zone” where cares melt away and reality is shunted away from the mind. It appears in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
According to one of the authors of the study, Spencer Murch, a psychology grad student, “When (problem gamblers) describe it, it’s like they forget about everything else that’s going on.”
The new machines can be more addictive than the old-time “one-armed bandits,” because they create an immersive experience where the rewards are varied and the outcomes are not always the same.
Murch told the Vancouver Sun: “The modern slot machine is one of the most sophisticated animal learning devices ever devised. With the continuous pace of play, it’s easy to zone out while playing them.” This applies to both neophyte and veteran players. Both can
