From the redefinition of the illusion of control in gambling to its study in aging

Si près d’un français sur deux joue au moins une fois par an, on remarque spécifiquement, entre 2010 et 2014, une augmentation de 11,5% du nombre de joueurs parmi les 45-75 ans. Les aînés de 55 à 64 ans sont d’ailleurs les premiers consommateurs de jeux de hasard et d’argent. Peu d’auteurs ont toutefois investigué la question du vieillissement des joueurs dans les JHA, impliquant un manque de données empiriques conséquent. Pourtant, les jeux de hasard et d’argent (JHA) font l’objet d’un domaine d’étude qui connaît un essor important depuis les années 2000. En plus d'une grande quantité de travaux sur la population générale, de nombreuses recherches ont porté sur les adolescents et les jeunes, considérés comme une population vulnérable. Vulnérables eux aussi, les aînés constituent une population préoccupante en raison de leur exposition à la fois à des offres de jeu de plus en plus abondantes et à de puissants facteurs de risque spécifiques à l'âge. En l’absence de référents théoriques permettant d’appréhender le renouvellement des conduites de jeu des aînés, deux facteurs déterminants ont été convoqués dans cette thèse : l’illusion de contrôle et la prise de risque. Concept polysémique, l'illusion de contrôle demeure à ce jour encore discutable, en termes de définition et de mesure, malgré le grand nombre d’études l’ayant examiné. Cette thèse a ainsi poursuivi un double objectif : élaborer et valider une échelle multidimensionnelle de l’illusion de contrôle dont le format matriciel met en exergue les valences affectives positives et négatives ; identifier les mécanismes cognitifs spécifiques à l'âge qui sous-tendent le comportement de jeu dans le vieillissement normal. Les perspectives temporelles constituant par ailleurs un bon indicateur des comportements à risque dans un certain nombre de domaines (e.g., santé, environnement), les relations entre âge, perspectives temporelles (PT), illusion de contrôle et prise de risque ont été interrogées. Au bilan, les résultats suggèrent que les aînés constituent une population spécifique en termes de cognitions et de comportements liés au jeu, sous certaines conditions. L'inclusion des PT dans les évaluations des comportements à risque permettrait de développer des mesures préventives sur mesure, destinées à empêcher ou diminuer le risque que les aînés développent un problème de jeu, dont les conséquences sont plus délétères pour cette population.If nearly one in two French people gambles at least once a year, we specifically notice, between 2010 and 2014, an 11.5% increase in the number of gamblers among 45-75 year olds. Seniors aged 55 to 64 are also the first consumers of gambling. Few authors, however, have investigated the issue of aging gamblers in gambling, implying a consequent lack of empirical data. Yet, gambling is a field of study that has grown significantly since the 2000s. In addition to a large body of work on the general population, much research has focused on adolescents and youth, considered to be a vulnerable population. Also vulnerable, older adults are a population of concern due to their exposure to both increasing gambling opportunities and powerful age-specific risk factors. In the absence of theoretical references for understanding the renewal of seniors' gambling behaviours, two key factors were considered in this thesis: the illusion of control and risk-taking. The illusion of control is a polysemous concept that is still debatable in terms of definition and measurement, despite the large number of studies that have examined it. Thus, this dissertation pursued a twofold objective: to develop and validate a multidimensional scale of the illusion of control whose matrix format highlights positive and negative affective valences; and to identify age-specific cognitive mechanisms underlying gambling behavior in normal aging. As time perspective is also a good predictor of risk-taking behavior in a number of domains (e.g., health, environment), the relationships between age, time perspective (TP), illusion of control, and risk-taking were investigated. The results suggest that older adults are a specific population in terms of gambling-related cognitions and behaviours, under certain conditions. The inclusion of TP in risk behaviour assessments would allow for the development of tailored preventive measures to prevent or reduce the risk of older adults developing a gambling problem, which has more deleterious consequences for this population

Validation d’une échelle d’évaluation multi-dimensionnelle de l’illusion de contrôle dans les jeux de hasard et d’argent (EEMDIC)

International audienc

Gambling and ageing: less illusion but more risk

International audienceAbstract Seniors are a population of concern due to exposure to both increasing gambling venues and powerful age-specific risk factors. There has been only limited research on this population so far, but studies conducted among younger adults suggest that the illusion of control is a key factor, leading players to develop strategies that increase their risk-taking in gambling. Time perspective (TP) is a good indicator of risky behaviours in a number of different areas, including health and the environment. In the present study, we sought to identify the age-specific cognitive mechanisms underlying gambling behaviour in normal ageing. We asked 115 emerging adults (mean age = 20.86 years), 86 young adults (mean age = 30.59), 82 middle-aged adults (mean age = 44.57) and 108 seniors (mean age = 65.19) to play an online game. We rated their illusion of control, risk-taking and TP. Analysis revealed that seniors took more risks and had less illusion of control than younger adults. The fatalistic-present TP positively influenced the illusion of control, such that perceiving the present as being determined by uncontrollable forces increased the perceived level of control. Finally, we found an influence of age on TP. These results suggest that seniors constitute a specific population in terms of gambling-related cognitions and behaviours. Including TP in risky behaviour assessments would allow the development of tailor-made preventive measures

Construction et validation d'une nouvelle échelle de mesure de l'illusion de contrôle

International audienceCapsule vidé

Quand les aînés jouent aussi aux JHA : illusion de contrôle et sentiment d’efficacité personnelle.

International audienc

The elderly faced with risk : time perspectives part in gambling

International audienceAs highlighted in a 2010 report of the Centre d'analyse stratégique, the aging of the populationin our post-industrialized countries remains a major societal challenge. Scientific research hastherefore to provide insights regarding how to age healthy in all areas. Gambling is notimmune, given that the prevalence of pathological gambling is increasing among over 60s(Wainstein, Grall-Bronnec & Venisse, 2008). Even though seniors over 55 are the firstgambling consumers (INSEE, 2014), senior's gambling behavior is rarely investigated. Thisempirical study attempts to describe senior's specificities in relation to time perspectives (TP -Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999), risk taking and illusion of control (Langer, 1975). Through twoexperiments, using two different types of gambling (the first on a computer media online, thesecond based on face-to-face dice rolls), age groups were compared. Analyzes included datafrom 391 (Experiment 1) and 44 (Experiment 2) participants. Results showed that 1 / theelderly take more risks than the young people, 2 / the "present fatalistic" TP positivelyinfluences illusion of control. Perceiving the present as determined by uncontrolable forcesappears to increase, paradoxically, the perceived level of control. An age effect on "pastnegative" TP and on "present hedonistic" TP was found in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, ageimpacted "present fatalistic" TP. These results suggest that seniors must be considered as aspecific population, who requires therefore targeted prevention measures. Including timeperspectives in the risk behaviors evaluation would allow the development of preventivemeasures specific to age, but also to individual's TP profile

Quand les aînés se risquent au jeu : perspectives temporelles et illusion de contrôle.

International audienc

Older Adult Gamblers

Gambling is a widespread leisure activity with an international prevalence from 26.6 to 85.6 percent. Health, social and economic impacts of a such phenomenon need to be studied. The aging of the population remains a major societal challenge. Scientific research has therefore to provide insights regarding how to age healthy in all areas. Gambling is not immune, given that the prevalence of gambling disorder is increasing among older adults. This entry provides an overview of older gamblers: from the age, characteristics and motivations of older gamblers

Gambling and Aging: An Overview of a Risky Behavior

Gambling is a field of study that has grown since the 2000s. Much research has focused on adolescents and youth as a vulnerable population. The rate of aging gamblers is increasing; however, evidence-based knowledge of this population is still too sparse. After introducing the issue (1), this article provides a narrative review of older adults’ gambling through three sections: (2) older adult gamblers (age, characteristics, and motivations), (3) gambling as a risky decision-making situation, and (4) gambling disorder related to older adults. By drawing on the existing literature from a problematization perspective, this type of review can highlight complex and original research topics and provoke thought and controversy to generate avenues for future research. This narrative review provides an overview of the existing literature on gambling among older adults and offers perspectives on how aging can affect decision-making and thus gambling for this population. Older adults are a specific population, not only in terms of the consequences of gambling disorders but also in terms of the motivations and cognitions underlying gambling behaviors. Studies on behavioral science focusing on decision-making in older adults could help in the development of public policy in terms of targeted prevention