The Biochemistry of Searching the Internet

Slate is running a story about how searching the internet and keeping up with events through instant communication can fulfill biochemical needs within our brains. Research has shown that anticipation and simply "wanting" can stimulate dopamine production in the brain, and an internet full of answers plays right into that. Quoting: "For humans, this desire to search is not just about fulfilling our physical needs. Panksepp says that humans can get just as excited about abstract rewards as tangible ones. He says that when we get thrilled about the world of ideas, about making intellectual connections, about divining meaning, it is the seeking circuits that are firing. ... The dopamine circuits 'promote states of eagerness and directed purpose,' Panksepp writes. It's a state humans love to be in. So good does it feel that we seek out activities, or substances, that keep this system aroused — cocaine and amphetamines, drugs of stimulation, are particularly effective at stirring it."

Comments

Re:First reply

[tomhudson]

The article says you're all addicted to your posting behaviour ... maybe you can find *someone* to sue for being an enabler? After all, you deserve to be rewarded for your lack of impulse control | your bailout | welfare at least as much as GM and Wall Street.

First congrats

[Anonymous Coward]

First contrats post for using both you're and your correctly in the same sentence

Re:If this were true for everybody...

[Anonymous Coward]

And I bet you judge those people, too. I bet you think that what THEY want to learn is INFERIOR to what you do.
 
You are part of the problem. Learn to accept.

Re:Minimal Multitasking...

[Trahloc]

When people reach informational saturation and miss a live conversation I hear them exclaim, "sorry I was multitasking", but it's just an excuse for mismanaged prioities.

Mismanaged priorities? I disagree. Finding an odd fact or surfing something of interest is infinitely more rewarding than listening to someone complain about work or whatever mediocre subject matter they bring up. Talk about something fascinating and you'll get pushed up higher in the priority list. I've got at least 2 conversations I'm ignoring right now to respond because while your post may not be the most fascinating it is more interesting than listening to friends jabber on about how work sucked today. So its not mismanaged priorities, it is just different priorities than others of a more social inclination may have.