READING NOTES IN PSYCHOLOGY

Why people make decisions they know are bad when chance is involved

Plain-language notes on EMDR, trauma and the psychology of gambling behaviour. One idea per note, each with its source.

EMDRWhat EMDR Is, and the Eight Phases of TreatmentEMDR is a psychotherapy for traumatic memories. The WHO's 2013 guidelines recommend it for post-traumatic stress disorder. Here is how it works and where the evidence stops.Gambling behaviourWhen Does Gambling Become a Disorder? DSM-5 and ICD-11 CriteriaGambling disorder is a formal psychiatric diagnosis. DSM-5 lists nine signs and requires four within twelve months; ICD-11 looks at three core features.Gambling behaviourWhy a Near-Miss Makes You Want Another SpinA 2009 study in Neuron found that near-miss outcomes recruit the same brain circuitry as wins and increase the motivation to keep gambling.Gambling behaviourThe Gambler's Fallacy and the Illusion of ControlA run of one result does not make the opposite due, and choosing your own numbers does not improve the odds. Two classic errors of judgement, explained.Gambling behaviourChasing Losses: What Loss Aversion ExplainsA loss hurts more than an equal gain pleases. That asymmetry, known as loss aversion, explains why people bet more after losing.Risk and choiceBefore You Take the Bonus: Three Terms People SkipWagering requirements, eligible games and withdrawal caps decide what a bonus is really worth, and they are exactly what people skip when excited.Risk and choiceMoney, Time, Stop: Three Lines to Draw BeforehandSetting an amount, a time limit and a stopping point before you begin works far better than relying on willpower halfway through.

If you are in distress, or gambling is already affecting your life, go straight to help and resources. This is an independent site with no connection to the Norwegian EMDR association; see about this site.