The Neuroscience of Pleasure

Have you ever wondered why we feel pleasure? Join us for our September meetup to learn more!

The Neuroscience of Pleasure: The Role of Neurobiological Mechanisms of Pleasure in Goal-Oriented Behavior and Motivation.

Presented by Nadia Lyubchick, his talk will focus on pleasure and how it's a goal in it of itself as well as a driving force toward certain rewards which relate to our survival or thriving existence. We will look at pleasure as a research topic in neuroscience, the neurobiology of pleasure, the types of pleasure, the purpose of pleasure, and finally the purpose of disgust and displeasure.

Nadia studied socio-cognitive neuroscience at PSU and worked in a number of research labs. She now works for a non-profit academic publisher which provides high-quality psychology resources for instructors and students. Nadia has co-authored a few academic articles including one on the affective states of pleasure.

We start the lecture about 6:15. You won't be able to enter the building after about 7, so please try to make it on time!

Below is a reading list to get you started.

Please don't feel the pressure to read all of these articles, just pick one or a couple to familiarize yourself with the topic, as all or most of these will be covered during the talk.

Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3008658/

Affective neuroscience of pleasure: Reward in humans and animals

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004012/

Dissecting components of reward: 'liking', 'wanting', and learning

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2756052/

Building a neuroscience of pleasure and well-being

https://psywb.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/2211-1522-1-3

Towards a functional neuroanatomy of pleasure and happiness

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2767390/

Pleasure: An Initial Exploration

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/John_Maltby/publication/271681754_Pleasure_An_Initial_Exploration/links/551d51e00cf2fcae4456cfff.pdf

Knowledge Emotions: Feelings that Foster Learning, Exploring, and Reflecting

http://noba.to/f7rvqp54

Neuroscience of affect: Brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3644539/

Body, Psyche, Culture: the relationship between digust and morality

http://faculty.virginia.edu/haidtlab/articles/haidt.rozin.1997.body-psyche-culture.pub009.pdf