Effects of the BAS and BIS on decision-making in a gambling task

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate how the Behavioral Approach System (BAS) and the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) affect decision-making in a gambling task. In accordance with the joint subsystem hypothesis, participants were divided into four groups based on their BAS and BIS scores. We used a modified gambling task, which examines decision-making after having winning and losing experiences unknowingly manipulated by the experimenters. We found that the high BAS and low BIS group made the most risky decisions after a winning experience, while the low BAS and high BIS group made more non-risky decisions after a losing experience. On the irrational belief scale, the high BAS groups bet larger amounts and had higher confidence levels in a losing condition. The present study found that relationships between personality traits and winning probabilities influence decisions in the gambling task. These findings may provide evidence that decision making and chasing in gambling situations are affected by personality traits and a perspective on feedback types. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.