Some of the more interesting research on brain activity shows us how we are influenced.  Or does it?  In November, the Radiological Society of North American determined from brain scans that when subjects are exposed to images of brands, strong brands excite parts of the brain associated with pleasure and reward.  Of course, marketers and advertisers are all over this!  But it’s not as simple as coming up with a catchy campaign.  Some scientists say that advertising works best when it affects our emotions.  Others insist that consumers only learn about brands when our attention and reason are engaged.  One important finding that definitely caught my attention in all this is about the way the brain processes.  Brain activity for an action seems to begin about half a second before a person decides to take an action.  This suggests that we are not “making” the decision as much as we are becoming aware of the fact that a decision has been made.  So the question remains, who is making the decision?  Something to think about!