Neglecting the Risks: The Irrationality of Health Behavior and the Quest for La Dolce Vita

2003 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 266-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lennart Sjöberg
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Impulse Control ◽  
Wishful Thinking ◽  
Personal Risk ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Risk Taking Behavior ◽  
Lifestyle Risks

The paper is a discussion of personal risk taking and risk perception in the field of health-related behavior. It reviews work on addictions, which has shown the difficulties of impulse control in the pursuit of long-term commitments. Such long-term commitments are typically in conflict with temporary and strong urges to indulge in seeking pleasure and comfort. People know and do not know, at the same time, the likely consequences of their behavior, and relapses in addictions are very common. Risk perception research has elucidated some of these points and shown that people see risks as very different for themselves and others, especially lifestyle risks. This difference is related to the notion that they can control their own risks, while others neither can, nor want to, exercise such control. Hence, own competence and motivation is overestimated, and that of other people is underestimated. Wishful thinking further contributes to irrational tendencies. Campaigns intended to change risk-taking behavior run into very difficult resistance due to these factors, and risk messages may be interpreted as pertinent to others rather than oneself.

scholarly journals Freshly Thawed Cryobanked Human Neural Stem Cells Engraft within Endogenous Neurogenic Niches and Restore Cognitive Function Following Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Badner ◽  
Emily K. Reinhardt ◽  
Theodore V. Nguyen ◽  
Nicole Midani ◽  
Andrew T. Marshall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Human Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Risk Taking Behavior

AbstractHuman neural stem cells (hNSCs) have potential as a cell therapy following traumatic brain injury (TBI). While various studies have demonstrated the efficacy of NSCs from on-going culture, there is a significant gap in our understanding of freshly thawed cells from cryobanked stocks – a more clinically-relevant source. To address these shortfalls, the therapeutic potential of our previously validated Shef-6.0 human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived hNSC line was tested following long-term cryostorage and thawing prior to transplant. Immunodeficient athymic nude rats received a moderate unilateral controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury. At 4-weeks post-injury, 6×105 freshly thawed hNSCs were transplanted into six injection sites (2 ipsi- and 4 contra-lateral) with 53.4% of cells surviving three months post-transplant. Interestingly, most hNSCs were engrafted in the meninges and the lining of lateral ventricles, associated with high CXCR4 expression and a chemotactic response to SDF1alpha (CXCL12). While some expressed markers of neuron, astrocyte, and oligodendrocyte lineages, the majority remained progenitors, identified through doublecortin expression (78.1%). Importantly, transplantation resulted in improved spatial learning and memory in Morris water maze navigation and reduced risk-taking behavior in an elevated plus maze. Investigating potential mechanisms of action, we identified an increase in ipsilateral host hippocampus cornu ammonis (CA) neuron survival, contralateral dentate gyrus (DG) volume and DG neural progenitor morphology as well as a reduction in neuroinflammation. Together, these findings validate the potential of hNSCs to restore function after TBI and demonstrate that long-term bio-banking of cells and thawing aliquots prior to use may be suitable for clinical deployment.Significance StatementThere is no cure for chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI). While human neural stem cells (hNSCs) offer a potential treatment, no one has demonstrated efficacy of thawed hNSCs from long-term cryobanked stocks. Frozen aliquots are critical for multisite clinical trials, as this omission impacted the use of MSCs for graft versus host disease. This is the first study to demonstrate the efficacy of thawed hNSCs, while also providing support for novel mechanisms of action – linking meningeal and ventricular engraftment to reduced neuroinflammation and improved hippocampal neurogenesis. Importantly, these changes also led to clinically relevant effects on spatial learning/memory and risk-taking behavior. Together, this new understanding of hNSCs lays a foundation for future work and improved opportunities for patient care.

scholarly journals Executive functioning and risk-taking behavior in Parkinson’s disease patients with impulse control disorders

2016 ◽  
Vol 123 (6) ◽  
pp. 573-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fanny Pineau ◽  
Emmanuel Roze ◽  
Lucette Lacomblez ◽  
Anne-Marie Bonnet ◽  
Marie Vidailhet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Impulse Control ◽  
Impulse Control Disorders ◽  
Risk Taking Behavior

Predicted risk perception and risk-taking behavior: The case of impaired driving

2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georges Dionne ◽  
Claude Fluet ◽  
Denise Desjardins
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Impaired Driving ◽  
Risk Taking Behavior ◽  
Predicted Risk

scholarly journals Perception of Ophthalmologists to COVID-19 Using Health Belief Model

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enmar Almazyad ◽  
Abeer Ahmad ◽  
Deema Jomar ◽  
Rajiv Khandekar ◽  
Samar Al-Swailem
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Health Belief Model ◽  
Health Belief ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Preventive Health Behavior ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Belief Model ◽  
The Health Belief Model

Abstract Purpose:To assess ophthalmologists preparedness in such a critical period in the history of pandemics, a logical socio-psychological framework assessment using the health belief model (HBM) is essential to evaluate their risk perception, their willingness to actively participate in engaging in protective health behavior and acknowledge its benefits and their capability to perform adequate successful methods in limiting the spread of COVID-19 and overcome the barriers they might encounter while implementing such precautions.Methods:A cross-sectional study conducted in King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital using a questionnaire-based (HBM) was distributed to 135 ophthalmologists in the institute to evaluate their risk perception on COVID-19, and determine which components of the HBM contribute to preventive health behavior related to the COVID-19 infection.Results:The questionnaire had a reasonable response rate ( 79.3%, 107 ophthalmologists including; 48 consultants, 51 fellows, and 36 residents). The study demonstrated that this model is useful and mapped how several components were significantly correlated to actions. Most significantly, perceived susceptibility was the most important predictor of action. The second most important determinant of action was the perceived benefit.Conclusion:Pandemics such as COVID-19 are more likely to happen again in the future. Explicit attention to factors influencing motivation, such as threat perception to adopt appropriate health-related behavior to limit the spread of communicable diseases, is necessary. This study has successfully represented preparedness and risk behavior perception of ophthalmologists to the novel COVID-19 pandemic in one of the largest tertiary eye hospitals in the middle east using the health belief model.

Risk Perception: Unrealistic Optimism or Realistic Expectancy

1999 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 731-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Todesco ◽  
Stephen B. Hillman
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Low Risk ◽  
Unrealistic Optimism ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Personal Risk ◽  
Older Adolescents ◽  
Risk Takers ◽  
Risk Taking Behaviors

The current study investigated risk perception and Unrealistic Optimism as a function of involvement in risk. 74 undergraduate students were asked to rate how likely they were to encounter various negative consequences relative to various comparison targets (child, peer, and parent) and specified their actual involvement in risk-taking. Over-all, 37 High and 37 Low Risk-takers rated harmful events similarly, adding support for disputing the hypothesis that risk-takers consider themselves to be invulnerable. When these older adolescents compared themselves with children, they rated their personal risk of engaging in the health threatening behaviors as higher. Adolescents can realistically appraise the differences between themselves and children and view themselves as more likely to encounter the negative outcomes of risk-taking behaviors. Implications are discussed.

scholarly journals What people really change after genetic testing (GT) performed in private labs: results from an Italian study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Oliveri ◽  
Clizia Cincidda ◽  
Giulia Ongaro ◽  
Ilaria Cutica ◽  
Alessandra Gorini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Testing ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Clinical History ◽  
Risk Tolerance ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Private Laboratory ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Over Time

AbstractDespite the widespread diffusion of direct-to-consumer genetic testing (GT), it is still unclear whether people who learn about their genetic susceptibility to a clinical condition change their behaviors, and the psychological factors involved. The aim of the present study is to investigate long-term changes in health-related choices, individual tendencies and risk attitudes in an Italian sample of GT users. In the context of the Mind the Risk study, which investigated a sample of Italian adults who underwent GT in a private laboratory, 99 clients participated in the follow up assessment. They completed a self-administered questionnaire investigating: (a) clinical history and motivation for testing, (b) lifestyle and risk behaviors, (c) individual tendencies toward health, and (d) risk-taking attitude and risk tolerance. Such variables were measured at three different time-points: T0—before GT, T1—at 6 months after genetic results, and T2—at 1 year from results. Results showed that, at baseline, participants who stated they intended to modify their behavior after GT results, effectively did so over time. This result held both for participants who received a positive or negative test result. In general, a healthier diet was the most frequently observed long-term behavioral change. As regards psychological variables, a risk-taking attitude and risk tolerance did not seem to affect the decision to change the lifestyle. Finally, we found an overall reduction in anxiety and worry over health over time, but also a reduction in the motivation for health promotion and prevention, health esteem, and positive expectations for their health in the future.

Executive compensation and firm risk: an examination across industries

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Abrokwah ◽  
Justin Hanig ◽  
Marc Schaffer
Keyword(s):  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Executive Compensation ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Firm Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Risk Taking Behavior ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This paper aims to examine the impact of executive compensation on firm risk-taking behavior, measured by the volatility of stock price returns. Specifically, this analysis explores three hypotheses. First, the impact of short-term and long-term executive compensation packages on firm risk is analyzed to assess whether the packages incentivize risk-taking behavior. Second, the authors test how these compensation and risk relationships were impacted by the financial crisis. Third, they expand the analysis to see if the relationship varies across different industries. Design/methodology/approach The econometric approach used to examine the executive compensation and firm risk relationship takes the form of two different panel model specifications. The first model is a pooled model using the panel data of executive compensation, the firm-level control variables and volatility of stock market returns. The second model highlights the differences in the relationship between executive compensation and riskiness of firm behavior across industries. Findings The authors find a significant and robust relationship, showing that during the post-financial crisis period firms tended to use long-term compensation shares to reduce firm risk. They also find that the relationship between various compensation components and firm risk varies across industries. Specifically, the bonus share of compensation negatively impacted firm risk in the financial services industry, while it positively impacted risk in the transportation, communication, gas, electric and services sectors. Additionally, long-term compensation share exhibits an inverse relationship with firm risk in the financial services, manufacturing and trade industries. Originality/value The conclusions of this paper suggest that there is indeed a relationship between executive compensation and firm risk across industries. There was a notable change in the relationship however between firm risk and long-term compensation following the financial crisis, where firms used long-term compensation to reduce firm riskiness. In other words, the financial crisis changed the nature of this relationship across S&P 1500 firms. The last key finding is that there exist differences in risk and compensation relationships across industries, and these differences across industries are highlighted across both bonus share and long-term incentive share variables. This is the first study to explore this relationship across industries.

Mindsets Affect Risk Perception and Risk-Taking Behavior

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas Keller ◽  
Peter M. Gollwitzer
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Negative Life Events ◽  
Theory Of Action ◽  
Behavioral Risk ◽  
Risk Taking Behavior ◽  
Action Phases ◽  
Mindset Theory

Abstract. In two experiments, we investigated the downstream consequences of activating deliberative versus implemental mindsets on risk perception (Experiment 1) and risk-taking behavior (Experiment 2). We hypothesized that participants in an implemental versus deliberative mindset arrive at more optimistic judgments about their own risks of experiencing negative life events, compared to other peoples’ risks. The results of Experiment 1 confirm this hypothesis and reveal perceived controllability as an important moderator. Experiment 2 further augments these findings by demonstrating that participants in a deliberative mindset show less risk-taking behavior than participants in an implemental mindset using a behavioral risk task. Implications for research on mindset theory of action phases and mindset-dependent effects on risk perception and risk-taking behavior are discussed.

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