Let's talk about an activity that specifically affects the brain, gambling. Gamblers love to win, of course. There's a thrill to it. Gamblers also are said to like the risk, the anticipation of putting money on the line. NPR social science correspondent Shankar Vedantam found research revealing that gamblers love something else about gambling. Shankar, what is it?
SHANKAR VEDANTAM, BYLINE: They love getting close to a win, Steve. If you think about a casino game like the three-reel slot machine, you have the first reel stop at a symbol. If the second reel stops at the same symbol, the gambler has the feeling that he or she is getting close to a win, and that excitement is itself a motivation.
INSKEEP: Even if the third reel doesn't come out your way, meaning you lost, you still get excited almost as if you won?