Apple causes ‘religious’ reaction in brains of fans, say neuroscientists

[Polygon]

In a recently screened BBC documentary, UK neuroscientists suggested that the brains of Apple devotees are stimulated by Apple imagery in the same way that the brains of religious people are stimulated by religious imagery.

People have often talked about “the cult of Apple”, and if a recent BBC TV documentary is to be believed, there could be something in it.

The program, Secrets of the Superbrands, looks at why technology megabrands such as Apple, Facebook and Twitter have become so popular and such a big part of many people’s lives.

In the first episode, presenter Alex Riley decided to take a look at Apple. He wanted to discover what it is about the company that makes people so emotional. Footage of the opening of the Cupertino company’s Covent Garden store in central London last year showed hordes of Apple devotees lining up outside overnight, while the staff whipped up customers (and themselves) into something of an evangelical frenzy. This religious-like fervor got Riley thinking – he decided to take a closer look at the inside of the head of an Apple fanatic to see what on earth was going on in there.

Riley contacted the editor of World of Apple, Alex Brooks, an Apple worshipper who claims to think about Apple 24 hours a day, which is possibly 23 hours too many for most regular people. A team of neuroscientists studied Brooks’ brain while undergoing an MRI scan, to see how it reacted to images of Apple products and (heaven forbid) non-Apple products.

According to the neuroscientists, the scan revealed that there were marked differences in Brooks’ reactions to the different products. Previously, the scientists had studied the brains of those of religious faith, and they found that, as Riley puts it: “The Apple products are triggering the same bits of [Brooks'] brain as religious imagery triggers in a person of faith.”

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Apple causes ‘religious’ reaction in brains of fans, say neuroscientists

 

[Agafaba]

The best evidence that this is true isnt the one man they studied, but the fact that apple does act in a very religious way. If they are doing it on purpose its for a reason, likely that it makes very dedicated apple fans.

 

[_dangtx_]

been saying this for years lol........so sad

 

[m1dget]

...and then there's people arguing over the fact that Apple has bad advertisement and can't do anything right. Not so sure about that :haha:

 

[Perineum]

These hard core Apple fans are far beyond any religious followers. With religion, despite what any intellectual thinks, there is no real proof of God, or proof of the denial of God. There is always a "what if" clause.

However, all the facts regarding Apple is in plain sight..... and they still come up with fallacies about how Apple created the GUI and how they made the mouse, or how the hardware is somehow server grade. And how the PPC processor was much better than Intel shit, which they have spontaneously forgot about now that they are running the Intel shit. Incredibly enough, then "Intel shit" they use is even better than YOUR Intel shit, through some sort of Apple induced, mouse creating, server grade Intel processor using pure Apple fury.

I don't really care about Apple stuff either way, but the users are friggin wingnuts.

They go to Apple because they can't get the hang of not getting their ass handed to them on the PC due to an extreme lack of technical knowledge of any sort..... but give them a Mac and soon enough they KNOW something you don't. They are spontaneously an elite member of society and YOU just don't "get it".

*cough* :doh:

 

[Borg]

Apple are great at marketing, though. Even if the hardware design is good, their stuff is insanely overpriced. It just shows you that people can be easily brainwashed.

 

[martin_metal_88]

it's easy to see that it's true. Religion rape people and apple rape people wallet. See? solved

 

[Silvgearx]

Snip
*cough* :doh:

:rofl: :thumb:

 

[sswilson]

Not really all that suprising, and the word "Apple" can probably be replaced with any other "superbrand" with exactly the same results.

IMO, this parallels the body's reaction to addictive behaviours... booze, VLTs, Drugs, sexual addiction all produce pretty much the same physiological reaction in the brain, and folks who are prone to be addicted to one, will have almost the exact same reaction to another.

 

[fishingfanatic]

Off Topic

I agree with Mr Wilson. The big thing 4 me is standing behind your product, and in my limited experience with

Apple have come away pleased. U could have the greatest thing since sliced bread, but if u don't take good

care of your customers, it'll creep up on u and bite u in the a%^$.
:biggrin: