2024/2025
Major Grants
Subjective Impressions of Agents and Agency During Games of Chance and Games of Skill (#102)
Project Approved 2024-25
Dr. Ben Dyson (Principal Investigator)
Department of Psychology
University of Alberta
Google Scholar Profile | ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4040-7169
Description
Gambling environments are defined by resource competition, with the nature of competition highly variable with respect to two psychologically critical but neglected elements: the perceived degree of agency (ranging from completely random to completely strategic), and, the contributions of other concurrent gambling agents (human or non-human). A series of precisely controlled experiments using novel competitive touch-table (CTT) technology will demonstrate the complex interactions agents and agency have on both the objective quality and speed of competitive decision-making. Combined with subjective measures of gambling cognition, we will predict how and when we choose to approach, engage and ultimately remove ourselves from a variety of competitive environments.
Timeframe: January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027
A Longitudinal Study of Online Gambling and Single-Event Sports Betting in Western Canada (#103)
Project Approved 2024-25
Dr. Shintaro Kono (Principal Investigator)
Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation
University of Alberta
Google Scholar Profile
Dr. Brian P. Soebbing (Co-Principal Investigator)
Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport,and Recreation
University of Alberta
Google Scholar Profile
Description
Our longitudinal study will examine online gambling and online single-event sports betting behaviors among residents of Western Canada, including Alberta. The study will also identify psychosocial predictors and consequences of such gambling behaviors. Using the longitudinal design, we will clarify causal mechanisms of the relationships among these gambling-related factors, while also potentially capturing the effects of anticipated privatization of single-event sport betting in Alberta.
Timeframe: November 1, 2024 to October 31, 2026
A Longitudinal Study of Sports Betting and Problem Gambling Among a Nationally Stratified... (#104)
Project Approved 2024-25
Dr. Daniel McGrath (Principal Investigator)
Department of Psychology, University of Calgary
Google Scholar Profile | ORCid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2772-942X
Dr. Matthew Keough (Co-Investigator)
Department of Psychology
York University
Google Scholar Profile
Dr. Hyoun S. (Andrew) Kim (Co-Principal Investigator)
Department of Psychology
University of Calgary
Google Scholar Profile
Dr. Joshua Grubbs (Co-Investigator)
Faculty of Psychology
University of New Mexico
Google Scholar Profile
Lindsey Snaychuk (Co-Principal Investigator)
Department of Psychology
Toronto Metropolitan University
Google Scholar Profile
Dr. Robert J. Williams (Co-Investigator)
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge
Google Scholar Profile
Description
Despite the ongoing legislative changes to sports betting in Canada, no study to date has examined the trajectories and transitions into sports betting and problem gambling in Canadian sports bettors. To address this gap, we will leverage the second iteration of the AGRI National Project (ANP) to conduct a 12-month 4- wave longitudinal study of Canadian gamblers (N = 10,000) to examine: (1) trajectories of sports betting behaviour (e.g., frequency, problematic gambling), (2) whether specific forms of sports betting (e.g., in-play betting), confer increased risk of problem gambling, and (3) predictors of transition into (i) 4 sports betting from non-sports betting, (ii) risky forms of sports betting, and (iii) problematic gambling. The results of the proposed research may inform future regulations to minimize the harms related to sports betting in Canada and abroad.
Timeframe: October 31, 2024 to October 31, 2027
Emotion Regulation, Binge Eating, and Gambling in Community Men (#105)
Project Approved 2024-25
Dr. Kristin M. von Ranson (Principal Investigator)
Department of Psychology
University of Calgary
Google Scholar Profile
Deepika Bajaj, M.Sc. (Co-Principal Investigator)
Department of Psychology
University of Calgary
Description
Most of the literature on relationships between emotion regulation and addictive behaviours has focused on select facets of emotion regulation, while ignoring others, as well as their associations over time. The current study investigates emotion dysregulation predictors of change over time in binge eating and problem gambling among community-based men, paralleling our previous study of community-based women. Findings may help identify important emotional regulation targets for addiction-based treatments and elucidate if another problematic behaviour (binge eating) should, like gambling disorder, be considered addictive.
Timeframe: November 01, 2024 to August 31, 2027