THE EFFECTS OF DESIRE FOR CONTROL IN SITUATIONS WITH CHANCE-DETERMINED OUTCOMES - GAMBLING BEHAVIOR IN LOTTO AND BINGO PLAYERS

Two experiments were conducted to examine in field settings how individual differences in desire for control affect behavior in situations with chance-determined outcomes. Experiment 1 found that people high in desire for control were more likely than lows to select their own numbers, rather than rely on a machine-selection option, when playing the California Lotto game. Experiment 2 found that low desire for control people playing legalized bingo were more likely than highs to rely on superstitious behavior and to believe that such behavior affected the game's outcome. Although a low desire for control was associated with more gambling in the lotto game, more frequent bingo playing was associated with a higher desire for control. © 1991.