Satisfaction: The Science of Finding True Fulfillment Book

A university research psychiatrist, Berns here combines neuroscience with a series of personal adventures to find out what gives people satisfaction. Infinite may be the range of human behavior, from the depraved to the noble, but to the extent behavior reflects striving for satisfaction, Berns summarizes the matter in one word: novelty. Easily bored, people seem to naturally want more of whatever interests them, but where does this drive come from? The clinical aspect of Berns' answer takes readers into the brain stem, specifically the striatum, which produces the neurotransmitter dopamine. Implicated in the sensation of pleasure, dopamine is also, paradoxically, involved in feeling pain, which may be why some people intentionally seek pain, such as at a sadomasochism club he visits or a 100-mile marathon he attends. Berns also entered a crossword contest, ate a meal cooked by a master chef, and spent an evening with an Icelandic storyteller. Readers interested in psychology will find Berns to be accessible, insightful, and comradely. Gilbert TaylorCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.Read More