Probing the Gambler's Psyche
For ages, it has always been pondered just why exactly people like to engage in the act of gambling. It has been thought by many as immoral and by others still as pure folly. Certainly, there seems to be little wisdom in putting one's entire fortune on the line to play in games that are essentially designed to benefit the house more than it does the player. And yet, many give in to such a foolish enterprise just the same.
In order to shed light on man's unexplained proclivity for gambling, experts have put forth two possible hypotheses. The first is the Arousal Theory, which suggests that people are indeed aroused by the thrill and excitement that they get out of gambling. On the other hand, the Cognitive Theory offers the premise that people are attracted by the possible rewards that can be had in winning games of chance, a strong incentive that ultimately pushes them to play.
The assumption of the Arousal Theory that people gamble for the sheer thrill of it does seem to be flawed, however, when one considers that not all games of chance are actually that exciting. A card game such as Poker can get very tense, and playing Roulette may be exhilarating to many, but the Arousal Theory cannot account for the popularity of the lottery, a gambling game that cannot be any less action-packed.
Another failing in the Arousal Theory's argument is that the level of excitement in a gambling game would naturally decline in the instance of a loss, and yet gamblers may still persist in playing despite this. While emotional arousal might be a possible motivation for gambling, it does not seem to be solely responsible for maintaining interest in it. But perhaps a possible explanation in support of the theory is that the players' need to be aroused might motivate them to seek further excitement through continued playing.
The idea proposed by the Cognitive Theory that people are motivated to gamble for financial gain appears to be a more rational notion. The promise of big money is a powerful stimulus that spurs on the dedicated gambler to play and win. There have been studies that have shown that gamblers who are intensely motivated to win are the ones who tended to engage in gambling activities with notable regularity.
Perhaps gambling is simply a natural part of the human psyche. It just could be another urge that man needs to give in to every once in a while; an urge that can go out of control if left unchecked, but this is true of all human behavior. And if the human mind itself is complicated, then one should not be surprised that man's inclination to gamble cannot be so easily quantified. But it is also in man's nature to learn, and so it should likewise not come as a surprise that man will continue to probe into the psychology of gambling for years to come.