An fMRI study determines where the brain appraises products and evaluates prices

By scanning subjects' brains using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the researcher found that, in fact, weighing possible outcomes does influence decision making. "This is the first study to show that you can use brain activation alone to predict purchasing on a trial-by-trial basis." Researchers discovered that when the product first flashed on the screen it activated the nucleus accumbens, a section near the middle of the brain that has been implicated in the brain's reward center, effectively appraising the item. When the price appeared...