The Near-Miss Effect in Slot Machines: A Review and Experimental Analysis Over Half a Century Later
Pisklak first author. A review plus three experiments tested whether near misses sustain slot machine play, using a resistance-to-extinction procedure in pigeons, the same procedure with human participants, and a third experiment testing the paradigm itself. Both of the first two failed to support the near-miss hypothesis, and the third found no conditionally reinforcing function for the reel stimulus. The authors conclude there is no conclusive replicable evidence and call for more work.
Pisklak first author. A review plus three experiments tested whether near misses sustain slot machine play, using a resistance-to-extinction procedure in pigeons, the same procedure with human participants, and a third experiment testing the paradigm itself. Both of the first two failed to support the near-miss hypothesis, and the third found no conditionally reinforcing function for the reel stimulus. The authors conclude there is no conclusive replicable evidence and call for more work.
Written from the abstract read 2026-10-18.
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Pisklak, J. M., Yong, J. J. H., & Spetch, M. L. (2019). The Near-Miss Effect in Slot Machines: A Review and Experimental Analysis Over Half a Century Later. Journal of Gambling Studies, 36(2), 611-632. doi:10.1007/s10899-019-09891-8.