Description: Presenting the latest conclusions about the psychological processes leading to impaired self-control, this book challenges the current harm-prevention policy of "responsible gambling." The authors present the most recent and evolving research into gambling, demonstrating the psychological variables that govern the erosion or maintenance of self-control over gambling behavior. These studies provide an empirical basis for a model of impaired control of gambling. Impaired control, in its broadest sense, is considered to be the defining psychological construct of all the addictive behaviors and occupies a central position in conceptualizing the addictive aspects of gambling.
Review Quotes: "Dickerson and O'Connor's approach to gambling behavior and its most remarkable feature, the occurrence of loss of control over behavior, is intriguing. On the basis of a dimensional approach, it offers excellent opportunities to explore modeling of risk factors and psychosocial variables. It has the potential to enlighten the discussion over ethical concerns about hwo gambling devices are designed and marketed and wehter they comply with the principles of consumer protection, which will surely make the reader think." - Hermano Taveres, PsycCritiques