What feels as good as chocolate?

What feels as good as chocolate on the tongue or money in the bank but won't make you fat or risk a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission? ...Scientists have discovered that the small, brave act of cooperating with another person, of choosing trust over cynicism, generosity over selfishness, makes the brain light up with quiet joy.

"We say people act this way because the brain is hard-wired to cooperate – it associates cooperation with reward,” said Gregory Berns, a professor at the Emory University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

In 2002, researchers and doctors at Emory University in Atlanta conducted one of the first MRI studies of “real time” social interaction using the classic laboratory game, "Prisoner’s Dilemma" (Axelrod, 1984). Participants selected from a number of greedy or cooperative strategies as they pursued financial gain. When the participants chose mutualism over "me-ism," the mental circuitry normally associated with reward-seeking behavior swelled to life.

And the longer they engaged in a cooperative strategy, the more strongly flowed the blood to the pathways of pleasure, the same areas that respond to chocolate, sex, beautiful pictures, and licit and illicit drugs such as cocaine.

The results were really surprising. The rational selection in the game would be to defect, but in real life, this is generally not what people select: Mutual cooperation was the most common outcome in the games.

Analyzing the scans, the researchers found that in rounds of cooperation, two broad areas of the brain were activated and able to respond to dopamine, the brain chemical famed for its role in addictive behaviors. One area is the antreroventral striatum. Another area activated during cooperation was the orbitofrontal cortex in the region right above the eyes. In addition to being part of the reward-processing system, it is also involved in impulse control.

Every round, you’re confronted with the possibility of getting an extra dollar by defecting,” Dr. Rilling said. “The choice to cooperate requires impulse control." *Resources listed below.

No Child Left Behind? Bullies have poor impulse control, lack in the skill of cooperation, and create disruption in the classroom. To increase harmony - and learning - include in-class partner and group projects that reinforce the cooperation "high."

A True Story: After participating in the Yello Dyno Lesson on “Tricky People”, the class bully began his usual routine of tormenting his classmates, but change was in the air. Realizing he didn't have to take behavior that caused him harm, one child came forward and confidently stated, "You’re a Tricky Person!" There was a hush in the room. Then the class chorused the phrase, "Yeah, you're a Tricky Person!" Instantly, the status of that bully went from top dog to the bottom of the heap. The victims took back their power, experienced the "cooperation high," and settled in for their next class.

Together we are Doing Good. Thousands of educators, parents and business professionals have joined hands with me. We are changing the lives of thousands of children each day by using The Yello Dyno Method™. When you teach using the Yello Dyno curricula, you will be imparting the foundation knowledge for all anti-victimization to your Pre-K through 6th children. They in turn will be able to act successfully to protect themselves.

Meet me on my three minute video message and learn why The Yello Dyno Method™ is so effective:
http://yellodyno.truthbranding.com/

If we truly believe no child is to be left behind, preventing victimization and helping to heal our children has to be the first step in education.

Yours for child safety,

Jan Wagner
Yello Dyno Founder

P.S. To have a Yello Dyno Curriculum sent to you to review for thirty days call me at
888-935-5639 ext. 100 or email me at jan@yellodyno.com.

For more information on our series of curriculum visit:
http://www.yellodyno.com/TrickyPeople TeacherSample.html

For research based information on Yello Dyno Curricula and Programs: http://www.yellodyno.com/html/research_articles.html

Bullying Statistics:
http://www.yellodyno.com/html/bullying_stats.html

Resources:
"Why We're So Nice: We're Wired to Cooperate," New York Times, 23 July 2002, Natalie Angier - http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/pol116/wired.htm
"Study: Brains Want To Cooperate" - Louise Knapp http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,53945,00.html?tw=wn_story_related
Getting To Know You - Part II
http://www.michelemiller.blogs.com/