Iris Monique Balodis

Why is there so often a disconnect between our desires and our actions?

I am interested in understanding how affective and motivational processes influence higher order cognitive functions, such as decision-making.

For example, many people express a genuine desire to lose weight, yet continue to choose to eat calorie-rich foods. In fact, many common societal problems can be attributed to this disconnect: obesity, money mismanagement and substance abuse all represent cases in which an immediate short-term reward (e.g. a piece of a cake, an expensive pair of shoes, another beer…) is chosen over a future greater reward (a svelte figure, savings, health).

Little is known about how motivational processes integrate into core executive functions; this research not only is important for understanding how humans make decisions, but also has significant implications for understanding many psychiatric conditions characterized by poor decision-making.

Towards the goal of better understanding these processes, I apply functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), psychophysiological, behavioural and other approaches to various populations demonstrating a range of maladaptive behaviours. These include individuals at risk for addictions, such as young binge drinkers, individuals with problem gambling, individuals with substance use disorders, and individuals demonstrating different eating pathologies, such as binge eating disorder.