I'm taking part in a really cool psychology/neuroscience lab. Plus, I get paid for it. Score! So far, I've only done the training and practice run where I lay in a mock-up MRI and answered questions (to prove I could handle laying in the little tube for a prolonged period of time without freaking out). Those who go on to the next phase will get to take home a picture of their brain. I'm pretty pumped about that.

The participants will perform word puzzles while laying in an (active) MRI. A mirror above the participant's head is angled to show a projection screen behind the MRI. The projected image is reversed so as to appear correct in the mirror. Three words are displayed and the participant has 30 seconds to think of a fourth word that goes with each individual word.

An example?

House
District
High

The answer? School

School house
School district
High school.

Then the participant answers whether they found the answer through "search" (trying out different words) or "insight" (inspiration, flash of brilliance, random guess). All the while, the MRI will be scanning the brain for activity.

And I guess at the end this study/lab/sweet free brain picture will help point to the areas of the brain responsible for logic and . . . subconscious logic?

Oh, and by the way. Other than "crab" and "quick" and "wich" (ha ha), any ideas what other words go with "sand"? That one stumped me a few times.