Comments on: There’s a Sucker Born in Every Medial Prefrontal Cortex http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2003/10/28/theres_a_sucker_born_in_every_medial_prefrontal_cortex.html making connections where none previously existed Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:10:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Irina http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2003/10/28/theres_a_sucker_born_in_every_medial_prefrontal_cortex.html/comment-page-1#comment-3039 Irina Wed, 29 Oct 2003 06:33:43 +0000 http://ubuntu.my/wp30/archives/2003/10/28/theres_a_sucker_born_in_every_medial_prefrontal_cortex.html#comment-3039 Besides the ever present sensationalism that comes along with anything printed in the news, NYT especially, fMRI (functional MRI) techniques have been used for about a decade to figure out what parts of the brain respond to what. There a number of caveates - the images are very difficult to read and read differently from one researcher to the next, the only thing that IS possible in an fMRI experiment is flashing images and asking questions - participants can't move as that would destroy the picture. There are cognitive psychologists that swear by fMRI studies though, stating that this is the only way to validate or reject the tenets of cognitive psychology. They try to redo experiments to provide fMRI backing to already established facts to "really" prove them. So where does this get us? If you are really interested about this technology (sensationalism aside, it does provide some fasciating insites into human cognition) here is a report from the NIMH fMRI workshop - <a href="http://www.nimh.nih.gov/diva/nifti2001.cfm" rel="nofollow">http://www.nimh.nih.gov/diva/nifti2001.cfm</a> The scientist actually printed an article called "Debating the Meaning of fMRI" in 2000, its available online if anyone is interested. On the other hand, so what that they can tell someone likes Pepsi (and contrary to a previous comment some people actually really do). fMRI techniques are very expensive and cumbersome. Yeah you can tell that 10 people who agreed to participate in an experiment happen to feel Hummers are HOT. AND? In no way does that mean that the general population thinks so. There is no basis for generalization, consumer tastes happen to vary and buying behavior is influenced by more than just the simple desire of ID :) Besides the ever present sensationalism that comes along with anything printed in the news, NYT especially, fMRI (functional MRI) techniques have been used for about a decade to figure out what parts of the brain respond to what. There a number of caveates – the images are very difficult to read and read differently from one researcher to the next, the only thing that IS possible in an fMRI experiment is flashing images and asking questions – participants can’t move as that would destroy the picture.

There are cognitive psychologists that swear by fMRI studies though, stating that this is the only way to validate or reject the tenets of cognitive psychology. They try to redo experiments to provide fMRI backing to already established facts to “really” prove them.

So where does this get us? If you are really interested about this technology (sensationalism aside, it does provide some fasciating insites into human cognition) here is a report from the NIMH fMRI workshop – http://www.nimh.nih.gov/diva/nifti2001.cfm The scientist actually printed an article called “Debating the Meaning of fMRI” in 2000, its available online if anyone is interested.

On the other hand, so what that they can tell someone likes Pepsi (and contrary to a previous comment some people actually really do). fMRI techniques are very expensive and cumbersome. Yeah you can tell that 10 people who agreed to participate in an experiment happen to feel Hummers are HOT. AND? In no way does that mean that the general population thinks so. There is no basis for generalization, consumer tastes happen to vary and buying behavior is influenced by more than just the simple desire of ID :)

]]> By: Abe http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2003/10/28/theres_a_sucker_born_in_every_medial_prefrontal_cortex.html/comment-page-1#comment-3038 Abe Tue, 28 Oct 2003 16:27:46 +0000 http://ubuntu.my/wp30/archives/2003/10/28/theres_a_sucker_born_in_every_medial_prefrontal_cortex.html#comment-3038 worth noting that the author Clive Thompson has a blog, and its a good one. <a href="http://www.collisiondetection.net/" rel="nofollow">http://www.collisiondetection.net/</a> worth noting that the author Clive Thompson has a blog, and its a good one.

http://www.collisiondetection.net/

]]> By: Marc-Antoine http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2003/10/28/theres_a_sucker_born_in_every_medial_prefrontal_cortex.html/comment-page-1#comment-3037 Marc-Antoine Tue, 28 Oct 2003 16:10:04 +0000 http://ubuntu.my/wp30/archives/2003/10/28/theres_a_sucker_born_in_every_medial_prefrontal_cortex.html#comment-3037 The fact of the matter with Coke and Pepsi might not be about brand at all. Many things taste good once, but the taste is not one you may want to repeat. I've observed this with foods that have impressed me but I cannot eat every day. If that neurobiologist were more attuned to experiencing than experimenting, he might have stumbled on the fact that Pepsi is way too sweet for a regular drink. (Caveat: I do not drink any pop.) And this gets funded? Marc-Antoine The fact of the matter with Coke and Pepsi might not be about brand at all. Many things taste good once, but the taste is not one you may want to repeat. I’ve observed this with foods that have impressed me but I cannot eat every day. If that neurobiologist were more attuned to experiencing than experimenting, he might have stumbled on the fact that Pepsi is way too sweet for a regular drink. (Caveat: I do not drink any pop.)
And this gets funded?
Marc-Antoine

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