Gambling and the Brain Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

childs play and the BrainWhy do gamblers bet more after they expert lost a hand? Why do investors throw just money after bad? Why do people entrust that a string of losses makes a win more plausibly? Why do so many an(prenominal) people say that they im set about win their money back in the next hand? Is part of the appeal of gambling its unpredictability? Or do we just advert at it as a way to get rich vigorous? The answer to these questions may lie in the science of the witticism. Some studies express that gamblers bet more after a loss because they ar bring forth to fix an error. Their brains are telling them theyve made a mistake and that they engage to correct it (1). These studies could possibly explain other risky acts. If you ask many people why gamble, their response is it is like a drug (5). goaded gambling is a behavior which may rely on brain circuits that evolved to help animals assess rewards important to their survival. Researchers have comprise that tho se same circuits are used by the human brain to assess social rewards. They found that the brain systems that detect and evaluate such(prenominal) rewards generally operate away(p) of apprised awareness. The study said that much of what happens in the brain goes right(prenominal) of conscious awareness. There are automatic brain circuits which affect activities such as gambling (2). However, this challenges prior notions which say that people make conscious choices about their everyday decision making. If people can get themselves to browse unconsciously, how does the brain really know what it must pay conscious tending to? Also, how did evolution create a brain which makes such distinctions? Experiments performed on animals and human being are showing that the brain has evolved to shape itself according to what it e... ...times.com/3) period of play has drug-like effect on brain,USA Today Newspaper articlehttp//www.usatoday.com/news/health/2001-05-24-gambling.htm4)GamblingLi ke forage and DrugsProduces Feelings of Reward in the Brain , Scientific American http//www.sciam.com/missing.cfm5)You Bet Gambling Is Addictive , Business Week Online http//www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2001/nf20010531_176.htm6)The Good, the Bad, and the Anterior Cingulate, Science Journal, Science magazine publisher http//www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/ full/295/5563/2193a?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Gambling&searchid=1017881463081_295&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&fdate=3/1/2002&tdate=3/31/20027)The Medial Frontal Cortex and the rapid Processing of Monetary Gains and Losses, Science Journal, Science Magazine http//www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/295/5563/2279