I, of course, would want to be in the non-working group. I'd gladly give up my job for the advancement of science.
Working stimulates brain’s pleasure center
A new study by Emory University shows that people who are compensated for the work they do are probably happier than those who win the lottery or subsist on a trust fund. The study, published this month in the journal Neuron, measured brain activity in the striatum, the part of the brain that processes information about rewards and pleasure.
By testing two groups and measuring activity with MRI scanners, the researchers discovered some centers of the brain were stimulated by a cash reward, regardless of the effort put into earning it. However, the striatum was only stimulated in the group that actually worked for it—like nature intended when it wired the brain.
“I don’t think it ever evolved to sit back on the couch and have things fall in our laps,” said Greg Burns, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral science.
Posted by beth at May 27, 2004 01:22 PM