What’s Mine? What’s Ours? How the Brain Thinks About Shared Resources

Abstract

Why do people not always choose to take care of the Earth? This study looked at how people’s brains decide to take care of nature, like fish in the ocean. The scientists made a game that was like going fishing, and they used brain-scanning technology to see what was happening in people’s brains while they played. The scientists discovered that when people thought they were fishing with other people, they took more fish than when they were alone. The brain scan showed that a part of the brain was working differently, too. This study helps us understand how people’s brains work when they make decisions about nature. If we know more about how our brains think about nature, we can find better ways to protect our planet. This study also shows how different types of science, like Earth science and brain science, can work together to help solve important problems for the world.