a narrow, elongated depression, groove, or slit; especially a small opening for receiving or admitting something, such as a coin or mail.
The slot in the copy desk was occupied by the chief copy editor.
Previous research into the physiological effects of music have examined sound in isolation from other sensory modalities, but in modern multiline slot machines, sounds are invariably paired with visual images, resulting in a perceptual onslaught of sights and sounds that may be especially gratifying for some players. Indeed, research suggests that these arousing stimuli amplify each other, such that a large win is often accompanied by a prolonged celebratory jingle and animated symbols that stand out from the non-winning ones (Iwamiya, 1994; Bullerjahn and Guldenring, 1994).
The present study focuses on two novel measures of reward reactivity that, unlike other psychophysiological approaches involving cumbersome electrodes and wires that likely reduce ecological validity and inhibit flow, are based solely on observing players’ actions during play. Using these measurements, we found that monetary gains are associated with greater reward reactivity than losses, and this difference was modulated by the size of the win. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the allure of slot machines is due to their attention-capturing and variable rewards. However, it is also possible that the constant rewards of slots prevent players from thinking about a more troublesome aspect of their lives and may thus act as a form of relief from depressive and anxious symptomatology.