Scientists discover moral compass in the brain which can be controlled by magnets

The Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 30th March 2010 | David Derbyshire

[llevrok]

Scientists have discovered a real-life 'moral compass' in the brain that controls how we judge other people's behaviour.

The region, which lies just behind the right ear, becomes more active when we think about other people's misdemeanours or good works.

In an extraordinary experiment, researchers were able to use powerful magnets to disrupt this area of the brain and make people temporarily less moral.

The study highlights how our sense of right and wrong isn't just based on upbringing, religion or philosophy - but by the biology of our brains.

Dr Liane Young, who led the study, said: 'You think of morality as being a really high-level behaviour. To be able to apply a magnetic field to a specific brain region and change people's moral judgements is really astonishing.'

The moral compass lies in a part of the brain called the right temporo-parietal junction.(snip) just behind the right ear.

The researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology used a non-invasive technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation

The technique generates a magnetic field on a small part of the skull which creates weak electric currents in the brain. These currents interfere with nearby brain cells and prevent them from firing normally.

In the first experiment, 12 volunteers were exposed to the magnetic field for 25 minutes before they were given a series of 'moral maze' style scenarios. For each of the 192 scenarios, they were asked to make a judgement about the character's actions on a scale of 1 for 'absolutely forbidden' to 7 for 'absolutely permissible'.

It's not the first time that scientists have found parts of the brain that specialise in ethics and morality. Last year American scientists claimed to have found a "god spot" - a region of the brain that controls religious belief.

[llevrok]

Explains why I have been acting "strange" since getting hearing aids...

[Red Badger]

My 3 MRI scans really screwed me then................

[a fool in paradise]

In an extraordinary experiment, researchers were able to use powerful magnets to disrupt this area of the brain and make people temporarily less moral.

I'm getting in the living room...

[Publius]

In an extraordinary experiment, researchers were able to use powerful magnets to disrupt this area of the brain and make people temporarily less moral.

They registered as Democrats.

[Red Badger]

The region, which lies just behind the right ear, becomes more active when we think about other people's misdemeanours or good works.

The Schadenfreude Zone?...........

[Soothesayer]

Great! Now let’s find out why it is missing in the brains of leftists.

[Red Badger]

In an extraordinary experiment, researchers were able to use powerful magnets to disrupt this area of the brain and make people temporarily less moral.

Jack Daniels works good too..............

[brytlea]

What kind of a person participates in a study like this?

[Bean Counter]

[Perdogg]

[a fool in paradise]

So what explains “changing morals” in a culture like acceptance of homosexuality? Are there magnetic pulses in tv and radio broadcasts?

[Woebama]

Somewhere a teenage boy is holding a magnet behind his new girlfriends right ear . . .

[GraceG]

>> In an extraordinary experiment, researchers were able to use powerful magnets to disrupt this area of the brain and make people temporarily less moral. <<

Well, I guess we have to look forward to them cutting into our heads at the re-education camps...

Maybe they will remove the “God Center” too.

I wonder if they will let us keep the pieces of brain they cut out of us, maybe we can put them in a jar of formaldehyde and talk to them when we are lonely...

[a fool in paradise]

This will make it better.

[RobbyS]

What a load. One can get the same results by getting someone drunk!

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Is that a magnet in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?

[pa_dweller]

Maybe a treatment for sociopaths could be developed.

[tet68]

Honey, look, I got you some magnetic earrings.

[DBrow]

So my moral compass depends on what lattitude I’m at and which way I’m facing.

And during a geomagnetic reversal all sorts of trouble brews...

[Moonman62]

Nike must have placed magnets in Tiger Wood’s cap.

[Woebama]

Honey, you know that I was too close to the refrigerator magnets when I said that!

[a fool in paradise]

"Hey! I resemble that remark!"

[RaceBannon]

[a fool in paradise]

Boosh ear, close up:

[Bitsy]

I want a truckload sent to congress STAT!

[thackney]

...but don’t wear them without me.

[RaceBannon]

[ansel12]

In an extraordinary experiment, researchers were able to use powerful magnets to disrupt this area of the brain and make people temporarily less moral.

Well, a "chick magnet" would sure be cheaper than having to buy them drinks first.

[B-Chan]

I’m not sure why these scientists think this is significant. After all, it’s been possible to hijack people’s brains with drugs for years. Now they can do it with magnets.

But the brain is not the mind, and when they take away the drugs or turn off the magnet, the essential person is still there.

[DBrow]

“Maybe a treatment for sociopaths could be developed.
“

I like your positive outlook and faith in humanity. I was thinking of a conscienceless soldier.

[JoeProBono]

[smokingfrog]

I wonder if stereo headphones or earbuds would do the same.

Once or twice, I’ve had my cellphone sitting on the table next to a radio. Just a brief second BEFORE the cellphone would ring, the radio started making weird noises. I guess those are radio waves and not magnetic though.

[a fool in paradise]

Turn it off!

[a fool in paradise]

Right, we are a bio-electrical-chemical system.

[Leo Farnsworth]

In a parallel story:

Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and other Democrat leaders have MAGGOTS in their brains, researchers say.

[aruanan]

The moral compass lies in a part of the brain called the right temporo-parietal junction.(snip) just behind the right ear.

Well, you notice how degeneracy amongst the young really took off once they started holding transistor radios to their ears, increased rapidly with the advent of headphones, and has skyrocketed with the use of earbuds and cell phones.

[Leisler]

Foil hats work!

[familyop]

Yeah, right—only in the UK.

[Canedawg]

Never underestimate the power of magnets, especially when it comes to attracting chicks.

[bunkerhill7]

Scientists discover moral compass in the brain which can be controlled by magnets=
Whenever my girlfriend whispers in my ear, I wanna go south with her.

[redangus]

A generation of iPod/mp3 player wearers elected O’Bama. nuff said.

[EBH]

Whole new meaning to “mark of the beast.”

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Gotta be related to cell phones... The region, which lies just behind the right ear, becomes more active when we think about other people's misdemeanours or good works. Another "just a walking talking chemistry set" ping. I feel so used. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[SunkenCiv]

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[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Are we gearing up for April Fools Day already?

[null and void]

You were strange well before that.

[llevrok]

You were strange well before that.

Thank me very much.

[socialismisinsidious]

In an extraordinary experiment, researchers were able to use powerful magnets to disrupt this area of the brain and make people temporarily less moral.

Great. There's going to be a magnet shortage and every teenage boy out there is going to want one.

[metmom]

ping

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!