Chapter 1. Planning, Life Goals, and the Frontal Lobe

Short Description

Michael was wounded in combat. He experienced damage to the front of his brain that has transformed him from a bright, assertive young man to someone who has difficulty holding a job and is lacking in social skills.

Long Description

Michael was wounded in combat. He experienced damage to the front of his brain that has transformed him from a bright, assertive young man to someone who has difficulty holding a job and is lacking in social skills. Discharged from the army, Michael now works under close supervision as a hospital janitor. He seems aimless; his life lacks direction.

Researcher, Jordan Grafman, assesses how the damage to Michael’s frontal lobes has impacted his mental abilities. A gambling task assesses his capacity to weigh the consequences of his actions. The task presents research participants with a string of wins followed by a series of losses. Most players stop before losing all their winnings. Michael does not. Although he offers what seems to be a rational explanation for his continued gambling, it is clear that his everyday behavior is also self-defeating.

Michael’s personal life is marked by an inability to sustain relationships. He has suffered a series of failed marriages which he relates in detail. Each partner seems to have significant problems of her own.

Michael’s injury seems to have destroyed his ability to work towards a long term goal or think through the consequences of his actions. Grafman notes that Michael can perform quite well in well-structured situations. However, as the situation becomes less structured and he must formulate and execute plans, he has difficulty.

Questions