A recent study has identified significant neural indicators that can predict the effectiveness of persuasive messages. Published in PNAS Nexus, this research analyzed brain scans from 572 participants and found that activity in specific brain regions associated with reward and social processing can forecast how well a message will resonate with audiences.
Insights from Extensive Research
The study, conducted by researchers including Christin Scholz, Hang-Yee Chan, and Emily Falk, pooled data from 16 functional MRI studies. The researchers examined various contexts in which persuasive messages are utilized, such as public health campaigns, crowdfunding platforms, movie trailers, and YouTube videos.
Through their analysis, the team discovered that messages that activate brain regions linked to anticipating and receiving rewards, as well as those involved in understanding others’ thoughts and feelings—a cognitive process termed mentalizing—were more effective. These findings indicate that certain neural responses can serve as universal indicators of persuasiveness.
Implications for Future Messaging Strategies
The study revealed that brain activity related to emotions was a significant predictor of message effectiveness among larger audiences, even if the individuals whose brains were scanned did not exhibit the same response. This suggests that some elements of our neural responses, particularly those that encourage consideration of others or evoke emotional reactions, play a critical role in determining how persuasive a message can be across different contexts.
According to the authors, these insights enhance our understanding of what makes a message impactful and could pave the way for new, widely applicable persuasion strategies. The research underscores the importance of tailoring messages to evoke specific emotional and cognitive responses, potentially leading to more effective communication in various fields.
For further information, refer to the study titled “Brain activity explains message effectiveness: A mega-analysis of 16 neuroimaging studies,” published in PNAS Nexus in 2025.
