OK, I have gave almost all the papers to the prof. About PS #26, don't worry about it since it was mostly about the reading that never came in. Also, with problem set #21, don't worry about #1, I didn't grade it because there was a mistake in it. Same thing with PS #22 #2. Study your midterms, the homeworks and your notes and you'll do fine. Good luck tomorrow, and it was nice working with you. Thank you for your patience through some bumps along the way. If you have any questions about the MPP program or I can help with anything else, feel free to send me an email. Take care,
Karolina

Question:
I have questions about the Scitovsky's comfort versus pleasure. He argues that a rise in arousal yields pleasure and that pleasure reinforces behavior. In the eating example, as we eat, our need for food delines, and that might reduce our urge to eat. However, our pleasure in eating reinforces our drive to eat more. Does this mean that eating at first is pleasure and that this pleasure becomes comfort eventually because it is getting closer to or on the arousal optimal? Is this whole process the reason why people want something more? or are pleasures are the ones that make people want more or is comfort the one that makes people want more?

Answer:
Three things happen when you're hungry and you eat:

1. Your level of arousal goes down, from an uncomfortably high level: that is, it moves toward its optimum. That, according to Scitovsky, gives pleasure.

2. Having eaten (not too much), you're then near your optimal level of arousal. That is, you're comfortable.

3. Eating, having produced pleasure, is reinforced. In the future, you might eat when you're not hungry. Eating under those circumstances might
produce pleasure, but also discomfort.

The other thing that might happen is that the amount and quality of food you need to (1) give you pleasure and (2) make you comfortable increases for the future. That's the hedonic treadmill.

NOTE:: The room # for the review sessions is 1337!!

Unfortunately I must cancel office hours tomorrow and I will be about 15 min late. I'll hold it from 1:15 to 2:15 because i have a review session for my econ class during the same time. I will reschedule the office hours and add some . . .

a note about review sessions and such:

OK Prof Kleiman is holding 2 review sessions one on Monday from 11:00 - 1:00PM and one on Wednesday 3:00 -
5:00PM in ROOM 1337. THIS IS A DIFFERENT ROOM THAN THE REGULAR CLASS IS
HELD IN.

Because the prof. is holding two and i didn't get a tremendous response from my note about my session, i'm going to hold additional office hours instead. that way, you can have more indiv. attention. i'll let you know exactly what they are tomorrow.

also, still working on posting things. should have a lot of it done tonight, but probably quite late.

_k

just for the record, this was posted on the 25th. i have no idea why it didn't appear.

_k

[11/25/2002 12:07:52 AM | Mark Kleiman]
an apology and an offering:

due to confidentiality issues, the exams cannot be distributed until wednesday.

further, i am offering an additional review session. if you are interested, please send me an e-mail ranking your preferences for these times (don't list a time if you can't make it at all.):
1. tuesday the 10th at 1:45 pm
2. monday the 9th at 7:00 pm
3. wednesday the 11th at 2 pm

see you soon,

_k

an apology and an offering:

due to confidentiality issues, the exams cannot be distributed until wednesday.

further, i am offering an additional review session. if you are interested, please send me an e-mail ranking your preferences for these times (don't list a time if you can't make it at all.):
1. tuesday the 10th at 1:45 pm
2. monday the 9th at 7:00 pm
3. wednesday the 11th at 2 pm

see you soon,

_k

PS 102 has a final exam scheduled for:

Date: Thursday, December 12
Time: 3:00-6:00 pm
Where: Public Policy Building Room 1246

_k