The Mechanics of the Brain

The Mechanics of the Brain An unprecedented research project in one Virginia community, the Roanoke Brain Study, uses a variety of games to explore how interactions and other factors shape our brains and decisions, SOURCE: Education Week www.edweek org GAME INSIGHT: when children or adults play this betting game, they are calculating probabilities of winning, but also going with their "gut instinct," which studies show is RISK ACCEPTANCE > Measuring Risk Tolerance GAME 1 GAME 2 related to their risk tolerance. One's 50/50 chance Gain 50/50 chance Gain level of risk tolerance changes at different ages (high school boys are more likely than middle-aged women to take riskier bets, for example), and win $45 win OR OR risk tolerance relates to all sorts of other behavior, from aggressive driving to substance abuse. This can be done in a single or repeated games, alone or with others. don't win sure thing lose sure thing TEMPORAL DISCOUNT » Influence of Time and Patience GAME INSIGHT: The Roanoke Brain Study will use various games to measure participants' impulsiveness and how that changes in group settings Studies have shown that people tend to prefer immediate Immediate gain is most preferred Take Deal Now? over delayed gains at any age, but s at: children and adolescents are the most impatient. More recent studies show that children with hyperactivity ...or wait? 12 months and other attention deficits discount Now later rewards more than peers without attention deficits. BUT change the time parameters, and participants often choose to wait. 11 12 months GAME INSIGHT: This game used in the Roanoke Brain Study highlights the importance of personal relations in financial and other cooperative situations. From an economist's perspective, the ULTIMATUM GAME » Any Share Wins! I agree. second partner should take any offer over zero, but in real tests, researchers find that the majority of second partners will reject the 'ultimatum' offer if it's considered unfair, leaving both partners with nothing. No, not fair. O-- N o one wins. GAME INSIGHT: while this game INVESTOR BROKER GAME » Let's Make a Deal! has been previously used to explain economic transactions, such as how financial bubbles develop, P. Read Any invested money is tripled Investor Broker Montague, whose lab operates the Roanoke Brain Study, has found it also allows researchers to understand the Investor way someone makes decisions about whether to trust others in a variety of situations. The game is beginning to provide insight into the ways people with autism and borderline personality disorders enter social situations. If the broker was fair in How much do I share back? round 1, the investor is more likely to invest next time. ---------REPEAT------► 10x 0000