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Brain's 'social enforcer' centers identified

The study found activation of specific areas in the prefrontal cortex when subjects knew they could face punishment for non-compliance. People with Machiavellian traits showed higher brain activity in these areas, suggesting a link to their selfish behavior.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateOct 3, 2007

Avoiding punishment is its own reward

A new study published in PLoS Biology found that avoiding punishment activates the same brain reward centers as receiving a reward. Researchers used fMRI to scan the brains of humans performing an instrumental conditioning task, where participants could either lose or win money. The results showed that the medial orbitofrontal cortex (...

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateJul 3, 2006

Revenge motivates tribal warfare

The behavior of punishing others for their injury is widespread in the animal kingdom, with humans adding a conscious sense of what to achieve through revenge. This leads to complex social rules governing who can be targeted and when, often prioritizing balance over personal relationships.