Liam has recently started working long, high-pressure night shifts at a logistics warehouse, which has left him feeling extremely fatigued and disconnected from his old friends. His supervisor and co-workers frequently use a sports-betting app during their breaks, discussing odds and sharing stories of 'big wins' over coffee. Liam decides to download the app to join in. On his second bet, he correctly predicts a complex accumulator and wins £250, which gives him an intense rush of excitement and distracts him from his exhaustion. The app now sends him frequent personalized vibrating alerts on his smartwatch with 'enhanced odds' on upcoming matches. Liam is now betting on various random sporting events throughout his shifts, spending his rent money and staying up on his rest days to monitor his bets.
Using your knowledge of the psychology of addictive behaviour, explain some of the reasons for Liam's addiction to gambling.
16 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Psychology Explanations for gambling addiction. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.