Nudge How your brain can reveal what you buy
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Aug 4, 2025 
Paul Zak, a neuroeconomist and Professor at Claremont Graduate University, dives into the fascinating world of consumer behavior. He reveals how physiological responses, particularly oxytocin, can predict purchasing decisions and enhance charitable giving. Zak discusses the impact of immersion in advertising, using Super Bowl ads as a case study. He emphasizes that emotional engagement often trumps mere likability in ads, and highlights how novelty in marketing can capture attention. His insights challenge traditional measures of ad effectiveness, advocating for objective, neurological assessments.
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Oxytocin Boosts Donations
- Paul Zak's team sprayed synthetic oxytocin up participants' noses to increase charitable donations by 56%.
- This hormone made participants more likely to donate and to donate to more charities.
Immersion Drives Empathy and Action
- Immersion is the brain's valuation of social emotional experiences boosted by oxytocin and dopamine.
- Emotional resonance and attentiveness increase immersion, driving empathy and action.
Liking Ads Doesn't Predict Impact
- People saying they like ads does not correlate with neurologic immersion or ad effectiveness.
- True engagement and buzz come from unconscious immersion, not conscious liking.
