Humanity's exploration of emotions has never stopped. From the initial emotional differentiation theory , to now cognitive neuroscience uses MRI and PET imaging to study the differences in the cerebral cortex under different emotional states. For psychologists, emotions have always been a pure land that has not yet been fully developed. Try to answer, when a person tells the truth or lies , do the truth and lies "come from" different parts of 's brain ? Personal feelings obviously cannot help us answer this question.
Experiment purpose:
Test whether different brain areas are responsible for truth or lies.
Experimental hypothesis:
Different brain areas are responsible for telling the truth or lying.
experimental method:
method is very simple. The subjects were asked to choose an envelope from three envelopes in and . Each envelope contained 5 playing cards of clubs and a $20 bill (the subjects did not know that the items in the envelopes were all the same). Subsequently, asked the subjects to remember the cards, put the cards and money back into the envelope, and hide the envelope in their pocket . They were told that there was a "computer" that could analyze people's thoughts, and that if the subjects could successfully conceal the cards they held in front of the computer, they would receive $20 in the envelope (in fact, no so-called computer was used except for the fMRI equipment). Other subjects were given the 2 of hearts and were instructed to tell the truth and not to hide the card they held .
Each subject was then placed in the fMRI scanner, with access to yes/no buttons. They were asked: "Do you have this card?" The subjects did not know that the researcher knew which card they held (this is irrelevant, because "the subjects deceiving the researchers" was not the focus of this study).
Experimental results:
The findings of the fMRI scan are clear. The subjects who told the truth only used one brain area (anterior cingulate gyrus). However, showed increased activity in two areas of the brain ( anterior cingulate gyrus and dorsal prefrontal cortex ) during the lying condition .
Experimental significance:
First, they confirm that MRI scans may have important uses beyond medical diagnosis, and may become a "fool-proof" lie detector, the results of which may eventually be recognized by courts, just as DNA evidence has become an acceptable method for proving or falsifying certain crimes.
Second, this research broadens our understanding of the incredible specificity of the human brain. If you look directly into a person's brain, it looks nothing more than a soft, thick mass of cells and tissue. But in fact, your brain is highly specialized, with specific areas reserved for specific tasks . Your brain has numerous specialized areas that are assigned tasks ranging from face recognition to speaking, planning, and problem solving. In this study, you saw , an area of the brain dedicated to telling the truth, , and , another area of the brain, , dedicated to lying.
Experimental application:
A study found that fMRI lie detection is significantly more reliable than traditional physiological polygraph testing . Opponents, however, point out that laws allowing peering into the brain could raise serious ethical questions . Another important study of note used the same method as the card-playing study discussed here, but used an array of real human faces. The subjects were presented with an array of face photos, and then under fMRI scanning, selected some of the face photos they had just seen and presented them, asking them to either truthfully report that they had seen these photos before, or to lie . The results are basically the same as the poker experiment . Two brain regions were activated when they lied, but only one brain region, and , was activated when they told the truth.
Reference for this article: "40 Studies on Changing Psychology"
Okay, that's all for today's knowledge sharing.If you are very interested in psychology and want to know more, you can read psychology books, or you can systematically learn psychology through the basic training course for psychological counselors.
Sanjunyuan, insight into you, me and him! Learn a little bit about psychology every day to help you understand yourself better!
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