PET Scans Show Revenge Can Be Satisfying

[Gloria]

From the way I feel...this is valid for women, too...BIGTIME!!!!!




http://www.medinews.com/GMEDTS32olcgi/ts.cgi?tsurl=0.54.12911.0.0


PET Scans Show Revenge Can Be Satisfying

By medinews.com staff writers
Posted on 08 September 2004

A positron emission tomography (PET) scan study has demonstrated that revenge can be sweet, as the old saying goes. It appears that planning revenge triggers enough satisfaction to inspire subjects to get even--and the amount of satisfaction essentially predicts who will go to greater lengths to do so, during an intricate game of double-cross.

SNIP

All 14 game players chose revenge whenever the double-cross was intentional and free of retaliation. Only three retaliated when the double-cross was not deliberate. Twelve out of 14 players punished deliberate double-crossers even if it cost them extra money.

The PET scans illustrated that a brain region, the dorsal stratium, which is important for satisfaction and enjoyment, became activated in those players who retaliated. It was not exhilaration from revenge, but with satisfaction from anticipating it. When getting even cost the players money, a second brain area that helps evaluate cost and benefits also was involved, but the striatum remained crucial. The level of activity in that area predicted which players would spend more money to get revenge.

SNIP

The study only involved men, and further research is needed to determine if women and people of different social income groups react similarly, according to the investigators. However, the study is significant because researchers are trying to understand how emotion interrelates with analytic decision-making.

[quiet.american]

1. I'll keep that in mind... :)