A new study took a look at how players would interact with slots if the games were to have more humanlike features. The last word that we would use to describe any online or land-based slots game is ‘humanlike’. So, we were very interested in what this study had to say.
The Study
The study, Humanizing Machines: Anthropomorphization of Slot Machines Increases Gambling, was published last month in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.
The research team (Paolo Riva; Simona Sacchi and Marco Brambilla) set out to determine whether players become more engaged with slot machines when they think that they are competing against ‘more humanlike minds rather than mathematical algorithms’.
The research was based on the belief that players are more willing to interactive with slots that seem like more than lifeless machines.
Humanlike?
When the study refers to ‘humanlike features’, it means ‘anthropomorphic’ - ascribing human characteristics to nonhuman objects. In the technology world, this feature is used with all sorts of devices, such as Siri on iPhones, which can interact with users to help them carry out a wide range of tasks.
The researchers wanted to determine if equipping slots with Siri-like features would change the way players engage with them games.
The Experiment
The research team enlisted in the help of various individuals The subjects were told that it was a marketing study, and that they were only needed to evaluate the graphics. They were told that they could quit whenever they had a good impression of the game.
Some players were given the anthropomorphic games (which featured explanations that referred to the game as ‘she’), while others were given regular slots (that were referred to as ‘it’). Both groups were surveyed about their tendencies to anthropomorphize the slot machine.
The Findings
The research team found that anthropomorphizing slots encourages players to gamble more. It also led to an increase in emotional arousal, which led to longer gambling sessions and larger losses.
The authors believe that people feel more inclined to when their machine seems to have a mind, as opposed to a game that runs on a mathematical algorithm.
What Does This Mean for the Gambling Industry?
The research team has discovered a new way to make slot even more enticing and interesting. So, you had better believe that games developers will pick up on this soon. It is likely that, within the next few years, we will begin seeing more and more slots that have ‘humanlike’ features.
While it will benefit players by helping to produce more engaging games, this also means that there could be an increased risk. Casino games are already considered addictive in many cases, so responsible gambling advocates and gaming regulators will have to ensure that new safeguards are introduced.
