Kapptie's Korner

The technology behind creating active brain responses has been cultivated for years. Consider gambling: the "near miss" phenomenon has been well-researched and discussed. This phenomenon was the precursor to many elements we see in today's cell phone technology

Think back to a game where you battled back and forth, narrowly losing in the final seconds. What details can you remember about that day, the game, and afterward? Now compare it to a moment where you or your team crushed the opponent in a sure win. What details can you remember about that? This illustrates a basic version of the "near miss" phenomenon. Research shows that the same areas of the brain are activated in near-win and win situations. It continues to explore the brain's reaction, particularly how much dopamine is released, in different scenarios.

Video or machine gambling devices have been around for a long time with paying out at different rates for pre-set situations. For instance, in video poker, a pair of aces is a winning hand, but a four of a kind is a "better" winning hand. Here's where it gets interesting: an almost Royal flush – an Ace, King, Queen, Jack of spades, with just the Ten missing. This "near miss" scenario triggers a stronger brain response than the previous two winning hands. "Almost winning" frequently drives us to bet or play one more round, believing the "next time" we'll get that card. That brain reaction keeps us coming back for another shot.

In part 2 of our series on cell phones and kids, we'll explore how this research and brain response contribute to cell phone use.