Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Mariya Cherkasova

Committee Member

Ryan Best

Committee Member

Kathryn Kestner

Committee Member

Jason Palmer

Abstract

The propensity to attribute incentive salience to reward-related cues, or sign-tracking (ST) has been linked to addiction in animal models and some initial human data. The current study explores the role of sign-tracking (ST), as a potential risk factor for problematic slot machine gambling, which abundantly features audiovisual reward-related cues, henceforth sensory features. A sample of healthy participants without gambling problems (n = 30) completed a Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) paradigm to assess ST propensity and played on a realistic slot machine simulator consisting of two versions: with sensory features (SF+) and without (SF-). Each game version had fixed bet sizes, included segments of relatively high- and low-volatility outcomes, and was followed by an optional bonus round participants could elect to play, in which they could vary their bet sizes. Self-report, behavioral, EEG, and eye-tracking data were collected to assess: 1) perceived game immersion, 2) post-reinforcement pauses and loss chasing; 3) ERPs related to reward anticipation and outcome feedback: contingent negative variation (CNV), win-related P300, and feedback-related negativity (FRN) in response to losses; 4) attentional bias towards the visual reward-related cues. Results showed that individuals with higher ST propensity did not exhibit greater immersion, amplified P300, CNV, FRN, or increased attentional bias to the visual game features during the SF+ version of the game. Greater immersion was self-reported in the SF+ version of the game and by individuals with a lower ST propensity. Post-reinforcement pauses and loss-chasing behavior were only evident in the SF- and not the SF+ version of the game, and greater volatility of outcomes promoted greater attentional bias towards the visual game cues in the SF- of the game only. Surprisingly, amplified (more negative) CNV amplitudes were observed in the SF- game. Overall, audiovisual game features (SF+) rendered the game more immersive and decreased behavioral sensitivity to outcome values. Associations of ST propensity with game experience and behavior were mostly absent, and when present, were in the opposite direction from that hypothesized.

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