Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Role of Gambling Media Exposure in Influencing Trajectories Among College Students

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Gambling Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the study, a model of the relationship between mass media depictions of gambling and subsequent gambling attitudes and behavioral intentions of college students was developed. A survey was conducted with 229 undergraduate students (79.5% female, mean age = 20.5, SD = 2.04) enrolled in three different communication courses at a large southeastern university. Through structural equation analysis, the six hypotheses of this study were analyzed using the method of maximum likelihood with AMOS 6. The model was consistent with the hypotheses that media exposure impacts gambling attitudes and behavioral intentions both positively and negatively, depending on the valence of the gambling depiction. Theoretical and practical implications of mass media exposure and gambling behaviors are discussed, and future research directions are outlined.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aitken, P. P., Eadie, D. R., Leathar, D. S., McNeill, R. E., & Scott, A. C. (1988). Television advertisement for alcoholic drinks do reinforce under-age drinking. British Journal of Addiction, 83, 1399–1419.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • American Gaming Association. (2007). The 2007 State of the States: The AGA Survey of Casino Entertainment. Retrieved August 6, 2007, from http://www.americangaming.org/assets/files/aga_2007_sos.pdf

  • Atkin, C. K. (1990). Effects of televised alcohol messages on teenage drinking patterns. Journal of Adolescent Health Care, 11(1), 10–24.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Atkin, C. K., & Block, M. (1984). The effects of alcohol advertising. Advanced Consumer Research, 11, 688–693.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atkin, C. K., Hocking, J., & Block, M. (1984). Teenage drinking: Does advertising make a difference? Journal of Communication, 34(2), 157–167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atkin, C. K., Neuendorf, K., & McDermott, S. (1983). The role of alcohol advertising in excessive and hazardous drinking. Journal of Drug Education, 13, 313–325.

    Google Scholar 

  • Azmier, J. J. (2000). Canadian gambling behavior and attitudes: Summary report. Calgary, Alberta: Canada West Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benston, L. (2004). Gambling TV backfires hopeful. Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved September 13, 2006, from http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin /stories/text/2004/nov/08/517790964.html

  • Bentler, P. M. (1989). EQS structural equations program manual. Los Angeles: BMDP Statistical Software.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentler, P. M., & Bonett, D. G. (1980). Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures. Psychological Bulletin, 88, 588–606.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bland, R. C., Newman, S. C., Orn, H., & Stebelsky, G. (1993). Epidemiology of pathological gambling in Edmonton. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 38(2), 108–112.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bollen, K. A. (1989). Structural equations with latent variables. New York:Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1992). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. Sociological Methods and Research, 21, 230–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, A. M., Dickson, L. M., Derevensky, J. L., Gupta, R., & Lussier, I. (2005). The application of youth substance use media campaigns to problem gambling: A critical evaluation. Journal of Health Communication, 10, 681–700.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Churchill, G. A. (1979). A paradigm for developing better measures of marketing constructs. Journal of Marketing Research, 16, 64–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham-Williams, R. M., Cottler, L. B., Compton, W. M., & Spitznagel, E. L. (1998). Taking chances: Problem gamblers and mental health disorders—results from the St. Louis Epidemiological Catchment Area (ECA) Study. American Journal of Public Health, 88, 1093–1096.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Derevensky, J. L., & Gupta, R. (2000). Youth gambling: A clinical and research perspective. e-Gambling: The Electronic Journal of Gambling Issues, 2, 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickson, L. M., Derevensky, J. L., & Gupta, R. (2002). The prevention of gambling problems in youth: A conceptual framework. Journal of Gambling Studies, 18, 97–159.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson-Evans, C. (2004). Vegas, baby: TV bets on gambling. Foxnews.com. Retrieved November 29, 2006,from http://www.foxnews.com/story /0,2933,108056,00.html

  • Doweiko, H. (1990). Concepts of chemical dependency. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/ Cole.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerbing, D., & Anderson, J. (1988). An updated paradigm for scale development incorporating unidimensionality and its assessment. Journal of Marketing Research, 25, 186–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gidwani, P. P., Sobol, S. L., & DeJong, J. M. (2002). Television viewing and initiation of smoking among youth. Pediatrics, 110, 505–509.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grant, J. E., & Kim, S. W. (2001). Demographic and clinical features of 131 adult pathological gamblers. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 62, 957–962.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, M. D. (2005). Does gambling advertising contribute to problem gambling? International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction, 3(2), 15–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grube, J. W. (1995). Television alcohol portrayals, alcohol advertising, and alcohol expectancies among children and adolescents. In S. E. Martin (Ed.), The effects of the mass media on the use and abuse of alcohol (pp. 105–121). Research monograph, 28, Bethesda, MD: NIH Publication.

  • Grube, J. W., & Morgan, M. (1986). Smoking, drinking, and other drug use among Dublin Post-Primary pupils. Dublin, Ireland: The Economic and Social Research Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, R., & Derevensky, J. L. (1998). Adolescent gambling behavior: A prevalence study and examination of the correlates associated with problem gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 14, 319–345.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, R., & Derevensky, J. L. (2000). Adolescents with gambling problems: From research to treatment. Journal of Gambling Studies, 16, 315–342.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, R., Derevensky, J. L., & Ellenbogen, S. (2006). Personality characteristics and risk-taking tendencies among adolescent gamblers. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, 38(3), 201–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutschoven, K., & Bulck, J. V. (2005). Television viewing and age at smoking initiation: Does a relationship exist between higher levels of television viewing and earlier onset of smoking? Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 7(3), 381–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hair, J. F., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L., & Black, W. C. (1998). Multivariate data analysis (5th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardoon, K. K., & Derevensky, J. L. (2002). Child and adolescent gambling behavior: Current knowledge. Clinical Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 7, 263–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hyde, M. (1978). Addictions: Gambling, smoking, cocaine use, and others. New York: McGraw Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs, D. F. (1998). An overarching theory of addiction: A new paradigm for understanding and treating addictive behaviors. Paper presented at the National Research Council’s Study Session on Pathological Gambling: Technology, Socioeconomic Impact, and Treatment, Washington, DC.

  • Jacobs, D. F. (2000). Juvenile gambling in North America: An analysis of long term trends and future prospects. Journal of Gambling Studies, 16, 119–152.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Korn, D. A., & Shaffer, H. J. (1999). Gambling and the health of the public: Adopting a public health perspective. Journal of Gambling Studies, 15, 289–365.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lam, D. (2006). The influence of religiosity on gambling participation. Journal of Gambling Studies, 22, 305–320.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lesieur, H. R., Blume, S. B., & Zoppa, R. (1986). Alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling. Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research, 10, 33–38.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lesieur, H. R., Cross, J., Frank, M., Welch, M., White, C. M., Rubenstein, G., Moseley, K., & Mark, M. (1991). Gambling and pathological gambling among university students. Addictive Behaviors, 16, 517–527.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lester, D. (1998). Legal gambling and crime. Psychology Reports, 83(1), 382.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Messerlian, C., Derevensky, J. L., & Gupta, R. (2005). Youth gambling problems: A public health perspective. Health Promotion International, 20(1), 69–79.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mitka, M. (2001). Win or lose, Internet gambling stakes are high. Journal of the American Medical Association, 285(8), 1005.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Najavits, L. M., Grymala, L. D., & George, B. (2003). Can advertising increase awareness of problem gambling? A statewide survey of impact. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 17(4), 324–327.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Neighbors, C., Lostutter, T. W., Larimer, M. E., & Takushi, R. Y. (2002). Measuring gambling outcomes among college students. Journal of Gambling Studies, 18(4), 339–360.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Neuendorf, K. A. (1985). Alcohol advertising and media portrayals. Journal of the Institute for Socioeconomic Studies, 10, 67–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nunnally, J. C. (1979). Psychometric theory. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pechmann, C., & Shih, C. (1999). Smoking scenes in movies and antismoking advertisements before movies: Effects on youth. Journal of Marketing, 63, 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rychtarik, R. G., Fairbank, J. A., Allen, C. M., Foy, D. W., & Drabman, R. S. (1983). Alcohol use in television programming: Effects on children’s behavior. Addictive Behaviors, 8, 19–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, H. J., Hall, M. N., & Vander Bilt, J. (1999). Estimating the prevalence of disordered gambling behavior in the United States and Canada: A research synthesis. Journal of Public Health, 89(9), 1369–1375.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stinchfield, R., & Winters, K. C. (1998). Gambling and problem gambling among youth. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 556, 172–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tickle, J. J., Sargent, J. D., Dalton, M. A., Beach, M. L., & Heatherton, T. F. (2001). Favorite movie stars, their tobacco use in contemporary movies, and its association with adolescent smoking. Tobacco Control, 10, 16–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tudor, A. (1979). On alcohol and the mystique of media effects. In J. Cook & M. Lewington (Eds.), Images of Alcoholism (pp. 6–14). London: Educational Advisory Service and British Film Institute.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Advertising, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, P.O. Box 118400, Gainesville, FL, 32611-8400, USA

    Hyung-Seok Lee & Jong Woo Jun

  2. Department of Communication, The University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX, USA

    Jennifer Lee Lemanski

Authors
  1. Hyung-Seok Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jennifer Lee Lemanski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jong Woo Jun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hyung-Seok Lee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lee, HS., Lemanski, J.L. & Jun, J.W. Role of Gambling Media Exposure in Influencing Trajectories Among College Students. J Gambl Stud 24, 25–37 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-007-9078-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-007-9078-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation