Theoretical Aspects on the Cognitive Dimensions in the Personality of the Pathological Gambler
Keywords:
pathological gambler; behavior; cognitive distortionsAbstract
Ambling is a socially accepted form of entertainment, a way to spend part of free time, a
way to have a financial surplus, but which can turn over time into a destructive form that occupies the
entire psycho-social sphere of individual. The cognitive theory is a prominent approach, even dominant
in understanding human behavior. It is based on the idea that mental processes play a decisive role in
the processes of thinking, emotions and behavior. Regarding pathological gambling, cognitivist theory
supports that pathological gamblers are guided by irrational, incorrect, or false beliefs about chance,
probability, and random events. Classical cognitivist research suggests that the pathological player has
difficulty applying the principle of event independence and random results when there is a financial
incentive involved.
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