This collection of original essays by members of the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Substance Abuse and Habitual Behavior offers innovative perspectives on self-control over the use of habituating substances and related types of behavior. The authors review the powerful social-psychological influences of normative rules and interpersonal circumstances in developing individual capacities for self-control in, for example, the use of heroin. They also look at experimental contingencies under which animals engage in self-harming behavior; the induction of exaggerated consumption behavior, such as massive fluid drinking by laboratory rats; and studies of environmental and genetic influences on neurophysiological sensitivity to and preference for alcohol in laboratory mouse strains. The concluding chapter presents an unorthodox perspective on ways of self-governing the consumption of cigarettes and other substances, recognizing the peculiarities of the processes of human choice. In his introduction, volume editor Peter Levison contrasts the diverse approaches reflected in the book with the common-sense notion of self-control.

This collection of original essays by members of the National Academy of Sciences' Committee on Substance Abuse and Habitual Behavior offers innovative perspectives on self-control over the use of habituating substances and related types of behavior. The authors review the powerful social-psychological influences of normative rules and interpersonal circumstances in developing individual capacities for self-control in, for example, the use of heroin. They also look at experimental contingencies under which animals engage in self-harming behavior; the induction of exaggerated consumption behavior, such as massive fluid drinking by laboratory rats; and studies of environmental and genetic influences on neurophysiological sensitivity to and preference for alcohol in laboratory mouse strains. The concluding chapter presents an unorthodox perspective on ways of self-governing the consumption of cigarettes and other substances, recognizing the peculiarities of the processes of human choice. In his introduction, volume editor Peter Levison contrasts the diverse approaches reflected in the book with the common-sense notion of self-control.

Abstract: Nine contributed papers comprise a review and assessment of the scientific basis for a commonalities approach to research on substance abuse and habitual behavior. The papers are grouped under 3 principal types of commonalities: sociocultural (sociologic perspective of drug abuse; a cultural approach to troublesome habitual behaviors); psychological (environmental control; a learning theory approach; the addictive personality); and biological (opiate drug receptors; endophins and addictiveness; brain-behavior associations with endogenous opiods; and genetic considerations). Abused substances (e.g., ethanol) and maladaptive behaviors are discussed from the perspectives of the different disciplines (e.g., psychology, toxicology). (wz).

Understanding Industrial and Corporate Change contains pioneering work on technological, organizational, and institutional change from leading theorists and practitioners such as Joseph Stiglitz, Oliver Williamson, Masahiko Aoki, Alfred D. Chandler Jr., and Sidney Winter. Trans-disciplinary in its approach, the book explores three distinct themes: Markets and Organizations; Evolutionary Theory and Technological Change; and Strategy, Capabilities, and Knowledge Management. The chapters are drawn from the journal Industrial and Corporate Change, reflecting the diverse contributions it has published since 1992 in such areas as business history, industrial organization, strategic management, organizational theory, innovation studies, organizational behavior, economics, political science, social psychology, and sociology. Understanding Industrial and Corporate Change provides an accessible account of recent research and theory on technological, organizational, and institutional change for academics and advanced students of Business and Management, Organization Theory, Technology and Innovation Studies, and Industrial Economics.

This book examines the role of competence, organization and strategies of firms in industrial dynamics linking economic, management and historical perspectives. In the first part of the book, a series of economic and managerial contributions discuss the concepts, dimensions and effects of routines, competence, adaptation, learning, organizational structure and strategies in the evolution of industrial enterprises at the theoretical and empirical levels. In the second part of the book, a series of historical papers examine these issues in a longterm perspective for the United States, Japan and several European countries.