Neuromarketing

Neuromarketing is a new field of marketing that studies consumers' sensorimotor, cognitive, and affective response to marketing stimuli. Researchers use technologies such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure changes in activity in parts of the brain, electroencephalography (EEG) to measure activity in specific regional spectra of the brain response, and/or sensors to measure changes in one's physiological state (heart rate, respiratory rate, galvanic skin response) to learn why consumers make the decisions they do, and what part of the brain is telling them to do it. Marketing analysts will use neuromarketing to better measure a consumer's preference, as the verbal response given to the question, "Do you like this product?" may not always be the true answer due to cognitive bias. This knowledge will help marketers create products and services designed more effectively and marketing campaigns focused more on the brain's response. This makes neuromarketing and its applied results potentially subliminal. Neuromarketing will tell the marketer what the consumer reacts to, whether it was the color of the packaging, the sound the box makes when shaken, or the idea that they will have something their co-consumers do not.

Here is a video on the subject (you have to wait for the advert to pass - sorry but I can't do anything about it).






Beyond subliminal advertising, Darpa (the Pentagon's innovation department) has invested $4m in an attempt to help soldiers communicate by telepathy. See this link: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/05/pentagon-preps-soldier-telepathy-push/

This truly is mad science but the ideas are sound. Using EEG, if a device can collect, transmit, receive and translate brain waves, soldiers will be able to communicate by telepathy.

Judge me on my intent

I previously raised the question of judging someone based on their actions or intent. It seems that scientists have taken us one step towards answering this question. When we are faced with a simple task, scientists are able to predict our actions by analysing our brain activity in real time. These simple tasks can be adding or subtracting two numbers. By scanning our brains, scientists can predict our intent before we are consciously aware.

Here is an article from New Scientist that describes the work.

This form of mind reading leads to a philosophical and ethical consideration. If our intent is a true and unconscious reflection of our belief system, do our actions always mirror our intent? The answer has to be 'no'. We have a conscious filter that stops us acting on gut instinct, that forces us to behave appropriately in polite situations. If someone were to commit a crime would they be guilty if their intent was never to take part - perhaps they had been coerced, or felt obliged for some reason?

As we learn more about the brain, society will need to hold these debates. As we, individually, learn more about the brain, we have a responsibility to increase our self awareness and be 1) mindful of our intent 2) conscious of our actions.

Money and happiness

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke addressed graduates of the University of South Carolina with a simple message: having a well paid job doesn't mean you will be happy. Here is the link to the report (click here).

Now I don't think there's anything new in this. I've talked about the science of happiness and the data says it all - there is no correlation between money and happiness.

So why is Bernanke making these statements? Is it because this message needs to be reiterated year after year as students prepare to enter the workforce? Is it our responsibility to help guide students towards making 'correct' decisions for their long term happiness. Or is it something else? Is he preparing society for a harder, less prosperous future? Is it a prelude to how the traditional high earning careers will be constrained through regulatory reform? Is it all of the above?

Danish eco-hotel

A hotel in Copenhagen is offering free meals to guests who sit on a cycle to generate electricity. Here's the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8621038.stm

The Crowne Plaza Hotel is giving people a food voucher worth 26 Euro for 15 minutes on a bike. Another example of the currency of favours that are emerging. It helps keep the travelling business contingent trim (assuming they eat sensibly with the voucher) and reduces the cost of electricity to the hotel. Good news all round. 882EJ3G2HC4V

Global cooling

With all the attention on global warming, are we about to be saved by the sun's inactivity? In a recent article published in Environmental Research Letters from Mike Lockwood at the University of Reading, it looks like we're entering into an historic low in solar activity which is resulting in cooler, drier winters. This is a trend seen every few hundred years. So as the world is heating up (maybe), as the atmosphere is becoming polluted with greenhouse gasses (maybe) and politicians and scientists can't agree on a way forward...are we about to be saved by mother nature?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8615789.stm

Le Chatelier's principle is: if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the position of equilibrium moves to counteract the change. This is similar to the Gaia principle in which the climatic and biogeochemical conditions on Earth maintain a preferential homeostasis. In other words, systems have a way of correcting themselves. Perhaps humanity is about to have a lucky break.