PSYCHOLOGICAL PORTRAIT OF A MODERN YOUNG GAMBLER

Author: Tarasova S. Psychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education (Russia)

Keywords

gambling, schizoid personality, hostility, expectation of aggression, hostile image of the world.

Abstract

This work is an attempt to describe the psychological profile of a modern young gambler. We have made a suggestion that they are either characterized by aggressiveness or have expectations of aggression — aggressive image of the world. In this work we studied hostility, while adhered to the principles of syndrome analysis. Methods and techniques. Mini-Mult Test. The Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. The Humorous Phrases Test (HPT). The Hand Test. Psychological Conversation. Persistent attendants of computer clubs in Dubna, Moscow oblast, 59 young people aged from 16 to 28 – 34 young men and 25 young women – participated in the research. Among them 40% of the participants spend more than 4 hours per day gaming. Participation in the research was voluntary. Conclusions 1. The participants of the research prefer massive multiplayer online (MMO) games, of which role-playing games (RPG) are the most popular (75%). Increases in profile were identified for 36 subjects on the hypochondria scale and for 32 subjects on the psychasthenia scale. The control group revealed more harmonic profiles. Personality traits are more balanced; in most cases the leading peak is registered on scale 9 (optimism scale). For average MMPI profiles differences between gamblers and the control group on the schizoid disorder scale are at a trend level (p = 0.07). Most basic scales of the MMPI test have strong positive correlation with hostility as a factor of being ready for aggression. 2. According to the Humorous Phrases Test, the most important topics among gamblers are human folly, gender relationships, fashion, carrier, and money. Hypochondriasis, depressiveness, hysteria, and psychopathy in the MMPI profiles are related to the topics of the HPT. Sensitivity of gamers to fashion and folly topics can be interpreted as problems with communication, fear to look ridiculous, unattractive. Fear to look ridiculous proves that gamblers are maladaptive.

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