http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/07/060710121622.htm

I nearly didn't post this article but decided it would be dishonest to withold it!!!

Just makes me think that brain scans are not giving all the information that we need to understand what's going on. Doesn't common sense say that avoidance of punishment is not the same as reward?? You only have to look at the confidence, optimism, outlook on life etc of people/horses/dogs/whatever who spend their time avoiding punishment rather than actively working for rewards.

Maybe the results can only be valid for a contrived situation, playing for fake money.....

Hmmm, I wonder if the researchers have read 1984!

Does anyone disagree with me? Would be interested to hear your views....

Catherine

Ah, everyone was talking about this in our office the day it was posted.

Apparently Doherty, one of the co-authors, himself said to one of my neuroscience colleagues when she met him at a conference recently that although the parts of the brain activated are the same avoidance of punishment would obviously affect outlook on life. She said that there are loads of studies like this one as everyone is still obsessed with the dopamine and related pathways (to do with reward/expectation etc.) but conferences are starting to have sessions about learning sets (related to 'outlook on life') and how to look for the development of learning sets using imaging techniques over time depending on different experiences etc. One day I'll work out how I can get to a neuroscience of learning conference as its all so interesting but until it involves some sort of genetic engineering (which probably won't be long!) its out of my field - grr.

Hi Catherine

"Just makes me think that brain scans are not giving all the information that we need to understand what's going on."

My thinking too.

"Maybe the results can only be valid for a contrived situation, playing for fake money....."

Interesting thought....

"I wonder if the researchers have read 1984!"

Tee hee.