Study: Brain Prefers Cash, Businesses Respond

A study of the "pleasure center" in people's brains suggests that the brains of those who had to work for their money were more stimulated than those who were simply given money without working for it. The Emory University researchers who conducted the study said that the findings have broad "real-world implications."

"These results are entirely unexpected: who would have thought that people would be so motivated by money? We are confident that this study will profoundly affect standard business models," said Greg Berns, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral science. Several high-profile companies have already responded to the findings, including Procter & Gamble and IBM. Dennis Lloyd, vice president in employee relations for Procter & Gamble, said that his company would now be making the unprecedented move of paying its employees, changing their standard practice of compensating employees with household items and company products. "This landmark study has helped us to understand that our employees will work harder if we pay them in cash," Lloyd said. "No longer will employees who put in a 40-hour work week be paid with kitchen cleaners and facial soaps." Proctor & Gamble said that the new rules will only apply to full-time workers. "Part-time workers won't get a dime," said Lloyd. "But they will get P & G toothpaste."