Study shines light on how we deceive others
New research highlights the brain region involved in the so-called “poker face.”
Researchers may have found the region of the brain responsible for the so called "poker face" used for bluffing.
Duke University scientists say that the temporal-parietal junction (TPJ) region of the brain may help us to decide whether or not to deceive someone.
According to Scientific American, the team asked volunteers to play poker against a human opponent and a computer opponent
While playing, participants had their brains monitored by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine.
More from GlobalPost: Economic growth pulls Rwandans out of poverty
The 18 volunteers were encouraged to bluff and were offered money when they were successful.
Oddly, only when bluffing against other humans did the TPJ region light up, said the Sydney Morning Herald.
The study suggests that certain brain regions may be involved in deceit and in how we coordinate our behavior with certain people.
“When you engage with another person and detect they’re relevant for your behavior, [the TPJ] is the region that detects it,” study author Scott Huettel, a professor of psychology at Duke University, reported Medical Daily.
The study was published in the journal Science
More from GlobalPost: Last Rhino Standing
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World. Can we count on you?