Gerhard Meyer (psychologist)

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Gerhard Meyer (born August 31, 1952 in Bremen ) is a German addiction researcher and professor for psychology at the University of Bremen . His research focus is addictive behavior related to gambling .

biography

education and profession

Meyer studied psychology from 1973 to 1979 at the University of Göttingen , where he studied slot machines with the possibility of winning in 1982 : Objects of pathological gambling? to the Dr. rer. nat. PhD . In his dissertation, which was received controversially, he came to the conclusion that commercially operated slot machines - just like classic forms of gambling - are addictive. The reason is that the slot machine industry bypassed the requirements of the gaming regulations. In the course of the media controversy, Meyer formulated the assumption that the game had already taken pathological moves in 500,000 of the approximately seven million slot machine players.

As a research assistant and university assistant at the University of Bremen, he carried out several research projects in the field of gambling addiction and qualified as a professor there in 1999 in psychology. Since 2008 he has been head of the Bremen gambling addiction department.

Focus of work

Meyer's work focuses on a broad spectrum of gaming-related issues. In addition to basic research on the developmental conditions and the consequences of pathological gambling behavior , Meyer has presented various publications on the prevention of this clinical picture. Further areas of work include the forensic assessment of pathological gamblers, the implementation of training courses on the responsible handling of pathological gamblers for casino employees , the development of a measuring instrument for assessing the risk potential of games of chance and a screening instrument for the early detection of problem gamblers, the evaluation of measures taken by the Player protection in amusement arcades as well as the submission of expert opinions on various aspects of gambling.

In terms of content, Meyer is a representative of the thesis that pathological gambling behavior is to be understood as a substance-independent addiction (= gambling addiction). Meyer accordingly welcomes the re-classification of pathological gambling behavior implemented in the DSM-5 (Classification System Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ) and its classification under the category “Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders” as behavioral addiction .

Meyer's criticism

Meyer criticizes the development of slot machines since the early 1980s. In his view, by circumventing the Gaming Ordinance in a tricky manner , the slot machines would have achieved the character of a game of chance in which considerable assets would be at stake. As a result, Meyer has repeatedly called for long-term corrections that are in the interests of player protection or the prevention of gambling-related problems and which are essentially geared towards minimizing the incentives to play. Regardless of the gaming segment, Meyer prefers a small, regulated gaming market with state monopoly- like structures from the perspective of addiction prevention , which, in his opinion, most likely creates the framework for the implementation of effective player protection measures. As a role model, he refers to the regulation in Norway, which provides for the mandatory use of a personal, cross-game player card with loss limits and blocking options.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ G. Meyer: Slot machines with the possibility of winning: Objects of pathological gambling? , Göttingen 1982, ISBN 3-88339-282-0
  2. ↑ a b Automatenpedia 1984: Gambling addiction ( Memento from June 19, 2013 in the web archive archive.today )
  3. ↑ Slot machines: Golden series . In: Der Spiegel . No. 10 , 1983, p. 92-94 ( Online - Mar. 7, 1983 ).
  4. ↑ G. Meyer. (2019). Assessment of the culpability in the case of gambling addiction: craving as a criterion for a restriction of the ability to control . In: Sucht , 65, pp. 207–215 ( online - July 31, 2019).
  5. ↑ Internet: "Careless Casino Concession" . In: Der Spiegel . No. 23 , 2002, p. 163 ( online - June 3, 2002 ).
  6. ↑ G. Meyer; J. Häfeli; C. Mörsen, M. Fiebig (2010). Assessment of the hazard potential of games of chance: results of a Delphi study and empirical validation of the assessment criteria . In: Sucht, 56 , pp. 405-414 ( online - January 30, 2011).
  7. ↑ G. Meyer, L. Girndt, T. Brosowski, T. Hayer (2019). Validation of a screening instrument for the early identification of problematic gambling behavior in amusement arcades . In: Prevention and Health Promotion ( online - 10.05.2019).
  8. ↑ T. Hayer, T. Turowski, M. von Meduna, T. Brosowski, G. Meyer (2018). Study on the effect and optimization of player bans and social concepts in gambling halls in Hesse - final report . Wiesbaden, Hessian Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration ( online - 30.11.2018).
  9. ↑ G. Meyer, M. von Meduna, T. Brosowski (2015). Player and youth protection in amusement arcades: a practical test . In: Sucht , 61, pp. 9-18 ( online - March 31, 2015).
  10. ↑ Gerhard Meyer: Consequences for the addiction risk potential of LOTTO 6 out of 49 or equivalent lottery offers on the market when the event is released for several providers. Health science report on behalf of the German Lotto and Totoblock (DLTB). Retrieved May 4, 2020 .
  11. ^ American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-5 . Washington, DC 2013, Fifth Edition, ISBN 978-0-89042-555-8
  12. ↑ Dieter Richter: Do slot machines circumvent the Gaming Ordinance? - Some basic comments , Gewerbearchiv, 2019, issue 11, pp. 422–426 ( online ).
  13. ↑ G. Meyer (2019). Newly approved slot machines circumvent the requirements of the gaming regulations . In: Gewerbearchiv , 65, pp. 184–188 ( online - May 10, 2019).
  14. ↑ Gambling without limit . In: Der Spiegel . No. 48, 2018, pp. 50–51 ( online - November 24 , 2018 ).
  15. ↑ G. Meyer, M. Bachmann: Gambling addiction: causes, therapy and prevention of gambling-related addictive behavior . Springer, 3rd edition, Berlin 2011, ISBN 978-3-642-20069-4 , doi : 10.1007 / 978-3-642-20070-0
  16. ↑ Stefanie Bolzen, Ileana Grabitz: Doubtful gamer report . Expensive study was supposed to objectify the debate about the controversial State Treaty on gambling - the federal states re-fudged it. In: The world . June 9, 2010 ( online [accessed January 25, 2020]).
  17. ↑ G. Meyer, T. Hayer: Problematic and pathological gambling behavior in games of chance: Epidemiology and prevention . In: Bundesgesundheitsblatt 53, pp. 295–305, 2010 ( online ).
  18. ↑ State-owned gambling in Germany , information from the German Lotto and Totoblocks, website lotto.de ( Memento from November 25, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  19. ↑ G. Meyer (2018). Prevention of Gambling Addiction in Norway: A Model for Reform of the State Treaty on Gambling . In: Journal for Betting and Gambling Law, 13, pp. 213-218 ( online - 15.08.2018).

Works (selection)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Meyer, Gerhard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German addiction researcher and university professor
DATE OF BIRTH August 31, 1952
PLACE OF BIRTH Bremen