Development and Validation of the Poker Skills Measure (PSM)

Carrie A. Leonard, Jaime Staples, Robert J. Williams

Existing research has demonstrated that poker is a game predominated by skill. Little is known about the specific characteristics of good poker players however, likely due in part to the lack of a readily available measure of poker skill. In the absence of an available and easily administered poker skill measure, laboratory studies of poker player attributes have used questionable methodologies to assess skill including peer- and self-report. The aim of the current research was to create a valid, reliable, and easily administered measure of poker playing skill. A sample of 100 University of Lethbridge undergraduate students and Lethbridge community members completed the newly created Poker Skills Measure (PSM) and an objective measure of poker playing performance (playing virtual poker). External validity of the measure was demonstrated via significant associations-expected and detected-between the PSM and the objective playing measure. Specifically, significant positive associations were found between PSM scores and hands won, pre- and post flop aggression, and a significant negative relationship was detected between PSM scores and number of hands played. Within the current sample, acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .82) and very good test re-test reliability (r = .78) was achieved with the 35 item PSM. Future directions are discussed.