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May 14, 2004

An Experiment - Call for Volunteers

A new report from Emory University suggest that, with regard to money, "It's nicer when you actually earn it."

Lottery winners, trust-fund babies and others who get their money without working for it do not get as much satisfaction from their cash as those who earn it, a study of the pleasure centre in people's brains suggests.

Emory University researchers measured brain activity in the striatum - the part of the brain associated with reward processing and pleasure - in two groups of volunteers. One group had to work to receive money while playing a simple computer game; the other group was rewarded without having to earn it.

The brains of those who had to work for their money were more stimulated.

I say let's put this to a rigorous, strict test right here on the World Wide Rant. All you have to do is click on that PayPal link to the left and give me money for no particular reason. After a few days, I will count up the money and provide - free of charge! - my subjective analysis of how I feel about having your money in my possession in exchange for absolutely nothing.

Got it? Good! OK - who's with me? Do it for science!