A group of psychologists from the University of California believe that people are actually programmed to absorb a certain idea, even before the moment they feel aware of its benefits and advisability.
The scientists conducted a two-stage study with the students of the University of California. During the first phase of the experiment, 19 participants had to carefully consider more than 20 diverse concepts for television shows. While the participants reflected on the information they had seen and heard, the researchers conducted brain scans using functional MRI. After that, the young people had to assess every considered project, and the best ones, in their opinion, had to be offered to “producers”. In the course of work, the scientists studied in detail the activity of different brain areas, which served as the basis for them to identify the areas, which got “enlightened” when perceiving the most popular subjects.
Commenting on the work done, the leader of the study, professor of psychology and psychiatry Matthew Lieberman, noted that people were unconsciously set up to assess whether the information seen or heard by them was supposed to be interesting to themselves and to others as well. The experts believe that this is the basis for the spread of gossip and the construction of virus advertising.
