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<H2 class=e-title><A
href="http://consumerist.com/2011/05/mri-shows-apple-stimulates-fans-brains-like-religion.html"
rel=bookmark>MRI Shows Apple Stimulates Fan's Brain Like Religion</A></H2>
<DIV class=e-meta>
<DIV class=asset-meta><SPAN class=byline><SPAN class=byline>By <SPAN
class="vcard author"><A class=author
href="http://consumerist.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1&id=1161">Ben
Popken</A></SPAN> on <ABBR class=published title=2011-05-20T15:00:00-05:00>May
20, 2011 3:00 PM</ABBR> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=e-body>
<DIV class="e-image "><IMG src="http://consumerist.com/applepriest.jpg">
<P class=caption>(<A
href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/meerling/152022068/">Meerling</A>)</P></DIV>
<P>Apple fanboys are sometimes referred to as "zealots" or "fanatics" in terms
of their devotion to their beloved brand and the intensity with which they
defend it and proselytize its virtues. Especially in online comments sections.
And it turns out that perhaps those descriptions are not too far off. A recently
screened <A href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011fjbp">BBC doc <EM>Secrets
of the Superbrands</EM></A> (unfortunately not available for online streaming in
the States) analyzed an MRI of an Apple devotee and found that the brand
stimulated the same areas of the brain as religious imagery does to people of
faith.</P>
<P>The presenter Alex Riley got the editor of <A
href="http://news.worldofapple.com/">World of Apple</A>, Alex Brooks, who claims
to think about Apple 24 hours a day, to undergo an MRI. Scientists studied the
reaction of his brain when exposed to images of Apple products and non-Apple
products. When he was looking at Apple stuff, the areas of his brain lit up in
the same way as religious people's do when shown faith-based imagery.</P>
<P>"This suggests that the big tech brands have harnessed, or exploit, the brain
areas that have evolved to process religion," says one of the scientists.</P>
<P>Perhaps. Or, as the doc says, "Like Apple, mobile phones and social networks
offer an opportunity for us to express our basic human need to communicate. And
it's by tapping into our basic needs, like gossip, religion or sex that these
brands are taking over our world at such lightning
speed."</P></DIV></FONT></DIV><FONT size=2>
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