Why does a large proportion of the population engage in some form of gambling, although they know they are most likely to lose, and that the gambling industry makes huge profits? Do gamblers simply accept their losses as fate, or do they believe that they will be able to overcome the negative odds in some miraculous way? The paradox is complicated by the fact that those habitual gamblers who are most aware that systematic losses cannot be avoided, are the least likely to stop gambling. Detailed analyses of actual gambling behaviour have shown gamblers to be victims of a variety of cognitive illusions, which lead them to believe that the general statistical rules of determining the probability of loss do not apply to them as individuals. The designers of gambling games cleverly exploit these illusions in order to promote a false perception of the situation. Much of the earlier interest in gambling behaviour has been centred on the traditional theories of human decision-making, where decisions are portrayed as choices among bets. This led to a tradition of studying decision-making in experiments on betting. In this title, originally published in 1988, the author argues that betting behaviour should not be used as a typical example of human decision-making upon which a general psychological theory could be founded, and that these traditional views can in no way account for the gambling behaviour reported in this book.

Why does a large proportion of the population engage in some form of gambling, although they know they are most likely to lose, and that the gambling industry makes huge profits? Do gamblers simply accept their losses as fate, or do they believe that they will be able to overcome the negative odds in some miraculous way? The paradox is complicated by the fact that those habitual gamblers who are most aware that systematic losses cannot be avoided, are the least likely to stop gambling. Detailed analyses of actual gambling behaviour have shown gamblers to be victims of a variety of cognitive illusions, which lead them to believe that the general statistical rules of determining the probability of loss do not apply to them as individuals. The designers of gambling games cleverly exploit these illusions in order to promote a false perception of the situation. Much of the earlier interest in gambling behaviour has been centred on the traditional theories of human decision-making, where decisions are portrayed as choices among bets. This led to a tradition of studying decision-making in experiments on betting. In this title, originally published in 1988, the author argues that betting behaviour should not be used as a typical example of human decision-making upon which a general psychological theory could be founded, and that these traditional views can in no way account for the gambling behaviour reported in this book.

The meeting Theoretical Perspectives on Autobiographical Memory was held at the Grange Hotel, Grange-over-Sands, in the Lake District region of North Western England, July 1991. The workshop was financed by a generous grant from the NATO Scientific Affairs Division under the Advanced Research Workshop programme and without this funding the meeting would not have been possible: the organisers and delegates gratefully acknowledge the support of the NATO Advanced Research Workshops programme. Thirty-five scientists from five different NATO countries attended the workshop and twenty-seven delegates presented papers. The two aims of the workshop were to bring together in one forum a number of comparatively separate approaches to autobiographical memory and to promote theory in the area generally . These aims were fulfilled in the presentations and discussions, particularly the final discussion session, in which delegates focussed on the central issues of the nature, structure, and functions of autobiographical memory and how these emerge in different research areas. The present volume contains the papers arising from the workshop. We thank Mrs. Sheila Whalley for secretarial help and Fiona Hirst and Stephen Anderson fur practical assistance in coordinating registration for the workshop."

The meeting Theoretical Perspectives on Autobiographical Memory was held at the Grange Hotel, Grange-over-Sands, in the Lake District region of North Western England, July 1991. The workshop was financed by a generous grant from the NATO Scientific Affairs Division under the Advanced Research Workshop programme and without this funding the meeting would not have been possible: the organisers and delegates gratefully acknowledge the support of the NATO Advanced Research Workshops programme. Thirty-five scientists from five different NATO countries attended the workshop and twenty-seven delegates presented papers. The two aims of the workshop were to bring together in one forum a number of comparatively separate approaches to autobiographical memory and to promote theory in the area generally . These aims were fulfilled in the presentations and discussions, particularly the final discussion session, in which delegates focussed on the central issues of the nature, structure, and functions of autobiographical memory and how these emerge in different research areas. The present volume contains the papers arising from the workshop. We thank Mrs. Sheila Whalley for secretarial help and Fiona Hirst and Stephen Anderson fur practical assistance in coordinating registration for the workshop."