Applying Novel Technologies and Methods to Inform the Ontology of Self-Regulation: Binge Eating and Smoking

"As we collect data from all participants, we will include manipulations (or motivating operations) meant to modulate putative targets within the self-regulation domain in each clinical group - to assess the extent to which we can shift self-regulatory function both in desired and undesired directions. More specifically, subjects will see a now cue instructing them to think of immediately using/consuming that stimulus or a later cue instruction them to think about the long-term consequences of using/consuming that stimulus. The latter cue is intended to down-regulate desire to use/consume the stimulus, and this down-regulation is measured by a subsequent probe asking subjects the degree to which they want to use/consume that stimulus."

Subjects will complete the tasks inside a functional magnetic resonance imaging device, allowing us to measure brain activity that while completing each task.