Dunn, D. S., & Wilson, T. D. (1990). When the stakes are high: A limit to the illusion-of-control effect. Social cognition, 8(3), 305-323.
Three studies investigated a boundary condition on the illusion-of-control effect (the tendency to behave as if one can control random events). Subjects wagered poker chips on the roll of a die, either to win money or to reduce the amount of time they would have to spend on unpleasant tasks. To induce illusory control, half of the subjects were allowed to choose the face of ...