Mind Scans to Map Decision Making Mechanics

rrangel writes "Newsweek is running an article on the fMRI, which tracks brain function by measuring blood flow, and using it for watching the mechanics of economics and choice. Best quote on economic choice: '... there is no quantity of juice sufficient to get a male monkey to look away from the hindquarters of a female in estrus.' H. Hefner has known that all along."

..there is no quantity of juice sufficient..

[burgburgburg]

there is no quantity of juice sufficient to get a male monkey to look away from the hindquarters of a female in estrus.

Why can't wives understand that?

Re:..there is no quantity of juice sufficient..

[murraythegreat]

very few wives have MRI scanners

Humans are lucky...

[mangu]

'... there is no quantity of juice sufficient to get a male monkey to look away from the hindquarters of a female in estrus.'

We don't need that the female be in estrus.

Re:..there is no quantity of juice sufficient..

[ibjhb]

Girlfriends too!

Insufficient juice

[kahei]

there is no quantity of juice sufficient

Oh really? I bet they only tried 'reasonable' amounts of juice. They can't be sure unless they try an infinite amount of juice -- or rather, an amount of juice so unfeasibly preposterously gigantic that the monkey is simply nable to comprehend it, so that changes in the juice quantity no longer have any effect. When they use that much juice, I'll take remarks like the above seriously

Disclaimer: I am only writing this because I am thirsty and like thinking about juice.

Ask my ex-wives

[bmiller949]

According to the them, science has it wrong. They should be scanning my posterior instead of my head. Since I married them, I would agree.

Retirement...

[MisanthropicProgram]

People don't save enough for their retirements because of a phenomenon known as forward discounting: ...

No, it's from not having a job! You insensitive clod!

Re:..there is no quantity of juice sufficient..

[Paulrothrock]

Yes. And because they can read minds, they think you can, too.

What do you mean I should have alphabetized the cleaning supplies???

Cheaper version of this research

[rel4x]

I can do this research for about $0.
How many people here enjoy Hustler or Playboy?
ok, now how many enjoy "Big juice box weekly"?
What if they added more juice?
even more?
Case closed.

What to do with this info!

[rel4x]

Oo! I've thought of what to do with this information. We can start using sex to sell things, like juice! I wonder why no one has thought of it before!

Re:Insufficient juice

[Life2Short]

What I don't understand is why you would need fMRI to figure out that they find hindquarters more interesting than juice?

I'm doing just fine...

[cpthowdy]

with my "Jump To Conclusions" mat. Good enough for all of life's decisions!

Re:Humans are lucky...

[Anonymous Coward]

charming.. i'll have to use that one next time i'm over at applebee's trying to pick up chicks

Well, That Sure Is A Lot Of Juice

[notcreative]

Wait, what kind of juice is it?

Re:Humans are lucky...

[StripedCow]

Hmmm ... first I read:

Fortunately or not ... human females will tend to prefer the more rotund and nerdy Slashdot-type male when she's not fertile, and very masculine hunks when she is fertile.

Sounds okay to me. But then I read:

And rather than just be fertile at certain times of the year, human females are fertile all year 'round.

There goes the last bit of hope I had in me.

social economics

[Doc Ruby]

Why are divorces so expensive?

Because they're worth it.