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Recently, technological advances have led neuroscientists to develop a new and more sophisticated framework. It shifts the focus of study from the activity of specific brain regions to how networks of brain regions activate in concurrent patterns. In this article, two experts in brain science explain important discoveries that have been made about four key networks: thedefault network, which is engaged in introspection and in imagining a different time, place, or reality; the reward network, which activates in response to pleasure; the affect network, which plays a central role in emotions; and the control network, which is involved in understanding consequences, impulse control, and selective attention.
These discoveries hold major implications for managers. In particular, they shed light on:
- the best way to generate “Eureka!” thinking
- what motivates employees
- whether you should trust your gut and listen to your emotions in decision making
- the opportunities and pitfalls of multitasking
These insights are just the beginning, say the authors, who believe that a hugely productive dialogue between neuroscience and business will develop as more findings emerge.
When Apple fanatics lined up to get the new iPhone in 2011, the New York Times published an op-ed titled “You Love Your iPhone. Literally.” It described an unpublished experiment in which the author scanned the brains of 16 people as they heard and watched audio and video of ringing or vibrating iPhones. The scans showed activity in the insular cortex—an area that activates when someone experiences love. “Subjects’ brains responded...as they would respond to the presence or proximity of a girlfriend, boyfriend, or family member,” the author wrote. “They loved their iPhones.”Dozens of neuroscientists cosigned a letter to the Times condemning the article, noting that one-third of all neuroimaging studies reveal activity in the insular cortex. It’s active when people sense temperature changes or even just breathe. In fact, in 2007 the Times itself had published an op-ed showing that the same area of the brain was engaged when subjects felt the opposite of love. Titled “This Is Your Brain on Politics,” the article linked activity in the insular cortex to disgust and asserted that it was particularly strong in men who saw the term “Republican.” Scientists wrote a letter protesting that article, too.The two op-eds are examples of something scientists call “brain porn”: mainstream media reports that vastly oversimplify neuroscience research—and fuel a burgeoning industry of neuroconsultants who suggest that they can unlock the secrets of leadership and marketing from the brain. Though these articles’ conclusions are dubious, most of them are based on data from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, a primary tool of neuroscience. The technology allows us to peer into brains as they work, to see thinking as regions of the brain become more or less active.These powerful images offer temptingly simple explanations for complex phenomena. But the problem is, fMRI doesn’t necessarily show causation. What’s more, thinking and behavior don’t map onto brain regions one-to-one. You can’t scan someone’s brain while he watches commercials and tell if he prefers Coke or Pepsi. You can’t scan two CEOs’ brains and tell which person is the better leader. Insula activity alone doesn’t prove that you feel about your phone the way you feel about your mother.To truly understand how neurological processes affect management, leadership, and marketing, we must separate fact from fiction, resist facile narratives, and establish a more sophisticated view of brain science.And that’s exactly what’s beginning to happen. Because of a confluence of factors—technological advances in fMRI, newly applied statistical techniques, and even President Obama’s announcement of a brain-mapping initiative—neuroscientists are adopting a new and better framework for their discipline. It shifts the focus from studying the activation of brain regions to learning how networks of brain regions activate in concurrent patterns. It’s like going from using video from a single surveillance camera at a crime scene to do detective work to using footage from multiple cameras positioned in different locations.The new tools and approaches have already produced new insights into the biology of our minds and deepened our understanding of concepts crucial to managers, including:- the role of emotion in decision making
- the opportunities and pitfalls of multitasking
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