Economics Faculty Database
Economics
Arts & Sciences
Duke University

 HOME > Arts & Sciences > Economics > Faculty    Search Help Login pdf version printable version 

Publications [#266025] of Dan Ariely

Journal Articles

  1. Aharon, I; Etcoff, N; Ariely, D; Chabris, CF; O'Connor, E; Breiter, HC, Beautiful faces have variable reward value: fMRI and behavioral evidence., Neuron, vol. 32 no. 3 (November, 2001), pp. 537-551, ISSN 0896-6273 [11709163], [doi]
    (last updated on 2024/03/28)

    Abstract:
    The brain circuitry processing rewarding and aversive stimuli is hypothesized to be at the core of motivated behavior. In this study, discrete categories of beautiful faces are shown to have differing reward values and to differentially activate reward circuitry in human subjects. In particular, young heterosexual males rate pictures of beautiful males and females as attractive, but exert effort via a keypress procedure only to view pictures of attractive females. Functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T shows that passive viewing of beautiful female faces activates reward circuitry, in particular the nucleus accumbens. An extended set of subcortical and paralimbic reward regions also appear to follow aspects of the keypress rather than the rating procedures, suggesting that reward circuitry function does not include aesthetic assessment.


Duke University * Arts & Sciences * Economics * Faculty * Research * Staff * Master's * Ph.D. * Reload * Login