No, contrary to popular belief, it’s not the “pleasure” molecule. According to psychiatrist Daniel Lieberman and writer Mike Long, dopamine is “the molecule of more,” which just happens to be the title of their new book. “It turns out that dopamine fires up when there’s an opportunity for something new, potentially useful, where they’re an opportunity for more,” said Long, an instructor in Georgetown University’s Master's in Public Relations & Corporate Communications program. Thus, people who are dopaminergic (highly influenced by dopamine) aren’t as much interested in the reward (although they might think they are) than in the striving to get it. To see how this has implications for advertising, the arts, and other pursuits, watch as Long and Dr. Lieberman talk with Faculty Director and Assistant Professor of the Practice Cylor Spaulding.
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