Gray Matter Can Inform Career Choices, Says New Study

Researchers are reporting that brain scans using fMRI machines can identify networks of brain cells that correlate with various cognitive abilities, such as, having a good memory and speed of information processing. As LiveScience reports:

The results show people's cognitive strengths and weaknesses are linked to differences in the volume of gray matter in certain parts of the brain.

As such the findings offer "the possibility that brain scans could be used in the future to develop a profile of a person's gray matter in different areas of the brain," Richard Haier of the University of California, School of Medicine (Emeritus), Irvine, told LiveScience. "And this profile could be used to help people decide what kinds of vocations they might be good at just like test scores are used." …

Brain scans could be used to complement the aptitude tests to give a more reliable idea of a person's ideal career.

"Nobody is suggesting brain scans would predict this so well you wouldn't need to talk to anybody, although this is a science-fiction possibility – but whether society would accept this is dubious," Haier said.

Considering that this research is very, very preliminary, no one would use it for career guidance now, but why "dubious" about its acceptance in the long run? It's just more information that might help people make better choices.

Go here for the full study.