The Neuroscience of Desire and Reward

This chapter explores the complexities of human motivation, focusing on the difference between 'wanting' and 'liking' in the context of neurological reward systems. Through discussions with a neuroscience expert, it highlights groundbreaking research involving rats that reveals how pleasure and craving operate within the brain. The chapter also contrasts cognitive wanting with incentive salience, emphasizing the challenges individuals face when pursuing harder, effortful rewards over immediate pleasures.