Brain scan usingfunctional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI) can “read our minds” andpredict human behavior by revealing our true purposes and desires before we even know them, as revealed by a study published in the journalJournal of Neuroscience. “Many people who make decisions do not follow through later,” explains Matthew Liberman, professor of psychology at the University of California (USA), who wants to find out “if there is a hidden wisdom in the brain.
In their study, Liberman and his colleagues tried to predict whether their patients will use a certain product that they had just learned about in the near future. Specifically, the experiment included the participation of 20 young people of both sexes who read and listened to information about the importance of using sunscreen. “Before performing the scan, the volunteers had to tell us if they had used solar milk the previous week, if they were going to use it the following week and what opinion they deserved about this product,” say the scientists. After the study, each of the participants received several gifts including sunscreen. After a week, the scientists contacted them to see if they had actually used the product.
The test revealed a brain region in the prefrontal cortex whose activation revealed the true intentions of the patient. “This region of the brain helps predict behaviors in almost three out of four cases . It is much larger in humans than in other primates, and is concerned with self-analysis and the ability to reflect on oneself, their own tastes and values.” , Liberman specifies.
According to the psychologist, the discovery of his team can be very valuable when it comes to motivating consumers or even helping to promote healthy habits , such as quitting smoking or eating healthy.
