Prof: We are about to investigate this really rare
condition x! But as everyone knows, in clinical trials, the rate of subjects
returning for follow up is always low. And in this rare condition, we can’t get enough
people to do randomized controlled trials! Instead, we have to do it by case
studies! How do we make these people come back so we can keep studying them so
we can prove our theory and academic credibility?!
Psychologist: Well, people only tend to be interested
in something when they perceive that there will be a benefit for themselves. Sometimes,
giving some financial bonuses can be a good incentive.
Prof: We don’t have the funds to bribe people! Application
for funds is always so competitive! It was very difficult for us to even receive
funds for this particular project because the condition is so rare that no one
sees it as something of big enough impact on society!!
Psychologist: Well, the other way I can think of is by
addiction!
Prof: Oh yeah? Sounds very interesting!!
Psychologist: Let’s take the example of gambling addiction! Gambling requires three elements be present: 1) consideration (consideration includes anything of value, cost, entry fee, and donations), 2) chance and 3) prize. By its very nature, gambling represents an opportunity to win
money, and, subject to the potential size of the prize, to change one's
lifestyle. The prospect of winning large prizes generates excitement by
allowing participants to dream and fantasise about the impact that such a
windfall would have on their work, finances, leisure, and capacity to support
immediate family members. Smaller wins are also exciting since these provide a
gain to the player and enable further gambling in pursuit of larger wins.
Importantly, the form of gambling and the environment
in which it takes place are conducive to social interaction and this adds
substantially to its inherent enjoyment. Hotel, club, casino and on-course
venues are recreational locations that offer a range of entertainment options
(food, beverage and shows). Within these contexts, gamblers can readily meet,
interact socially, and test their luck and skill in pleasant and safe
surroundings, leading to enhanced social integration and stimulation, self-esteem
and a positive sense of recreation/leisure. Gambling is also a means of
overcoming boredom.
The capacity for gambling to narrow one's focus of
attention (Anderson & Brown, 1984) and produce dissociative states (Jacobs,
1986) may account for the reason why many individuals use gambling as a
maladaptive coping strategy to deal with problems, emotional distress and
stress/tension.
How do addictions work? In the brain, pleasure has a distinct signature: the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine. The reward circuit in the brain includes areas involved with motivation and memory as well as with pleasure. Addictive substances and behaviours stimulate the same circuit—and then overload it.
Repeated exposure to an addictive substance or behaviour causes the area of the brain involved in planning and executing tasks to communicate in a way that couples liking something with wanting it, in turn driving us to go after it. That is, this process motivates us to take action to seek out the source of pleasure. Over time, the brain adapts in a way that actually makes the sought-after substance or activity less pleasurable. At this point, compulsion takes over. The pleasure associated with an addictive drug or behaviour subsides—and yet the memory of the desired effect and the need to recreate it (the wanting) persists.
Prof: That’s a lot of ramblings! How is this relevant
to this research project?!
Psychologist:
Well, well, well, here is where things get fun! Gambling
represents an opportunity to win prize,
to change one’s lifestyle, right? Now, this rare disfiguring condition affects
males in their 20s-30s… and as a result of their disfigurements, they look like
ugly monkeys and these males tend to be very socially isolated. What do men of
this age need then?
Prof: …. interpersonal affection!!
Psychologist:
Yes, what a Prof!! How distressing is it, that they see other young men of similar age going out with hot chicks and getting married? So let some of our nice little empathetic ladies in the
research team be that incentive!! If these men perceive that they can have a
chance with these ladies, it will act as an addictive enticement!
Prof:
What the heck? Giving away our ladies? You gotta be kidding!! That’s illegal!!
Psychologist:
Nononono, of course we’re not going to give these ladies away. We’d make the
study subjects meet us in a very inconvenient location so that they had to make
quite a bit of sacrifice to get to. But this is going to be a happy
dopey place, inducing the release of lots of dopamine in their brains which facilitates the addictive process, where the study subjects can happily meet with each other as well
as our warm attractive ladies! Then these men can test their luck and skill in
pleasant and safe surroundings, leading to enhanced self-esteem and a positive
sense of recreation!
Prof:
Oh yeah? Sounds interesting!
Psychologist:
But remember, “test your luck” means the ladies should give these men a feeling
like they’ve got a chance, but when these men actually try asking our ladies
for a date, the ladies can reject them, but go on to give them their contact details,
so that they still see a tiny glimmer of hope! And occasionally text them from
time to time to remind these men the existence of both the project and the ladies!
Prof:
Now I am getting the picture…! Sending them crashing down like when the gambler
loses big money!! And with that tiny glimmer of hope, they just keep coming
back like silly little monkeys!!
Psychologist:
Oh yes, what a smart Prof you are!! Silly little monkeys indeed!!!!
Prof:
And what a great psychologist you are! I would never think up of this without your
help!! Hahahahahaha!!!
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