Slot is a narrow depression, groove, notch, or opening, especially one in which something may pass, as a coin in a slot machine or a hole in a door. A slot is also a grammatical position into which a certain sequence of morphemes can fit. Compare rim (def 5).
The sounds that accompany slot wins are a unique aspect of this type of gambling game that could account for its addictive properties. These sounds arouse the gambler, and according to Brown (1986), arousal is a primary reinforcer of gambling behaviour. Our results are consistent with this interpretation and demonstrate that slots sound effects increase arousal while playing, and that players perceive this arousal as pleasurable.
In contrast to previous psychophysiological research examining music’s effects in isolation, this study uses an ecologically valid measure of reward reactivity, measuring players’ reactions to the appearance of winning symbols, without using any cumbersome electrodes or wires that might reduce ecological validity and interfere with flow. This measure, along with the force measure of the effects of rewards, was significantly correlated with positive affect ratings and both accounted for greater unique variance in the positive affect component of the PGSI score than did dark flow alone.
Additionally, both the PRP and force measures were unrelated to negative associations of slots play, such as problem gambling or depression. These findings are important for understanding how and why people engage in this form of gambling. The authors would like to thank the participants of this study, as well as their supervisors and graduate students for their support.