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.