Power Over Others
More than a
hundred years after noted historian Baron John Acton coined the
phrase ‘power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely’
scientists claim the saying is biologically true.
The feeling
of power has been found to have a similar effect on the brain to
cocaine by increasing the levels of testosterone and its by-product
3-androstanediol in both men and women.
This in turn
leads to raised levels of dopamine, the brainÂ’s reward system
called the nucleus accumbens, which can be very addictive.
Cocaine works
in a similar way, which can have varied effects from increasing
alertness, confidence, energy, feelings of well-being and euphoria,
but also anxiety, paranoia and restlessness.
Power has almost
identical effects to cocaine and too much of it can produce too
much dopamine leading to more negative effects such as arrogance
and impatience.
The claims
by Dr Ian Robertson may go some way to explain the outlandish and
impulsive behaviour of city fatcats, tycoons and celebrities.
May
4, 2012
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