Newsletter
Volume 29 | 2006 | Number 2
Behaviorists Interested in Gambling
By Dr. Mark Dixon
The present year will mark another successful one for the Behviorists Interested in Gambling SIG (BIG SIG). For the third consecutive year, multiple paper sessions at the ABA convention have been organized to disseminate research by BIG SIG members and their students. These sessions have been both well attended and well received. We look forward to continuing that trend in the future. This year also sees the publishing of a book with chapters written by SIG members. For those interested in theoretical, empirical, and therapeutic behavioral approaches to gambling, you will want to check it out. Better yet, buy a copy!
The BIG SIG also has big plans for the future. For the first time, we are looking to organize a conference specifically devoted to research on gambling. Our plan is to hold this conference in conjunction with the Mid-American Association for Behavior Analysis meeting in October 2006, which will be held in Carbondale, IL. Those wanting more information are encouraged to contact the SIG. Another future direction is the potential of developing a workshop for the treatment of problem gambling. Such a workshop could be offered at ABA’s convention and elsewhere.
As has been the case in the past, there is a great need for behaviorists to focus on the study of gambling behavior. Members of the SIG are dutifully pursuing such research, but even greater involvement is warranted. This area is one in which behavior analysis can make a significant and immediate impact.