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

1.1 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

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

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Question

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