Researchers from the University of Zurich have found an area in the brain that "decides" whether to be honest or to pursue selfish interests. With the help of non-invasive electrical stimulation, scientists were able to make a person tell the truth more often. An article by neuroscientists published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, briefly described on the MedicalXpress website.
The experiment involved 145 volunteers. The subjects were divided into groups of 10-12 people each. They had to complete a series of tasks designed to assess honest and selfish behavior. Thus, the participants threw a hexagonal dice 10 times and reported the results of the throws. In this case, three specific numbers (for example, 1, 4, 6) were winning, and a bonus of nine Swiss francs ($ 0.99) was paid for them. Although the participants' actions were hidden from observation, it was possible to understand whether they were cheating by comparing the actual number of winning throws with what should be in theory (50 percent of all throws).
During the task, 49 volunteers underwent anodic stimulation of the brain, in which depolarization of neurons occurs, and the other 49 - cathodic stimulation, which reduces the excitability of cells. The remaining 47 participants received sham stimulation, in which neurons were not electrically stimulated. This stimulated the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that is associated with honest behavior.
The results of the experiment showed that the increased excitability of neurons upon anodic stimulation of this zone provoked a tendency to honest behavior. However, scientists emphasize that stimulation does not affect those people who consciously seek to maximize their benefits. In addition, additional experiments have shown that it does not prevent people from “lying for good” when another person benefits.