Snap Talk by David Evans

Abstract: Humans are creatures of habit. In their most extreme form habits define certain kinds of disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism, tic disorders and eating disorders. In recent years, explanations of these habit disorders have drawn from the neurosciences, pointing to the brain as the source of the disorder. And yet, all of us engage in habits and repetitive behaviors to some degree. Do these two kinds of repetitive behaviors - "abnormal and normal" - reflect the same mechanisms? This snap talk will address the similarities and differences between normal and pathological habits and repetitive behavior.