by: Roger Dooley
It’s no big surprise that our brains can process odors without the intervention of our conscious minds, but a study published earlier this year showed just how sophisticated that process can be. Specifically, brain scans showed that women responded differently when they smelled the sweat of sexually aroused males, even though almost none of the women were consciously able to identify the smell as sweat.
neuromarketing fMRI Roger Dooley smell research olfactoryby: Roger Dooley
OK, here’s a quick task: take a minute to write down some common characteristics and behaviors that superheroes might exhibit… (DON’T read further until you have jotted down some ideas.)
neuromarketing behaviour altruism Roger Dooley volunteering research primingby: Roger Dooley
Understanding how events occur in the brain - how we come to an “aha!” insight, how we make a decision, and so on - fascinates neuroscientists. And anyone interested in neuromarketing can’t help but wonder how we decide between two products, or whether to buy a product at all. And, since we like to believe we are thinking beings, just how rational are those decisions?
research neuromarketing decision making brain Roger DooleyI followed a link on Penny Arcade to this article about gamers and their self-images. It is about a study conducted by a professor of psychology in Kansas State University. Basically he has exposed students to video games that feature characters of 'extreme physique' for 15 minutes at a time, and he has found out that the subjects had displayed increased levels of insecurity regarding their own bodies, after the experience.
“It was kind of sobering that it did have such a short-term effect,” Harris [author of the study] said.
Even though this blog of mine is about the business side of things, I cannot help but comment about this one. The real sobering issue in this study is that even the scientific community is not above taking cheap shots at video gaming for the sake of gaining popularity, for I highly doubt this study of Dr.Harris would find any homage in any scientific journal of any kind otherwise.
behaviour people research Taylan Kadayifcioglu video gamesWhat is it with pollsters and green consumers? Why do nearly all of the surveys seem so gushingly optimistic, even during pessimistic times? That's a question that's been nagging me the past few weeks.
consumer behaviour green consumers greenwashing Joel Makower research survey USby: Roger Dooley
A variety of technologies are being pressed into service to “read minds,” and Canadian researchers have found they can determine a subject’s preference with 80% accuracy using infrared brain imaging. According to Sheena Luu, a doctoral student who led the research, “This is the first system that decodes preference naturally from spontaneous thoughts. Preference is the basis for everyday decisions.”
fMRI brain scan Roger Dooley research preferences neuroscience neuromarketing