blog

Reuters Science today reported on a couple of new studies that suggest people get as big of a kick out of being praised as they do by being handed cash. Our social standing is as important as our economic standing.

As reported in the piece, researchers “…found that these seemingly different kinds of rewards — a good reputation versus money — are biologically coded by the same neural structure, the striatum,” said Dr. Norihiro Sadato of the Japanese National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Okazaki, Japan.

The studies suggest that the need to be accepted by others is deeply ingrained within us. As is the processing of what our particular status is (and means) within a social hierarchy. From our earliest days as a species, people have had to concern themselves with their reputation within their group.

I think these insights give us plenty to think about when it comes to marketing products and services that make people feel that their status is somehow improved. It also helps shed light on the whole social networking phenomenon and the psychic rewards of sensing that our reputations are improving as our circle of “friends” expands. Read more here.