The strange allure of electric shocks When an atmosphere is described as being "electric," it usually means exciting, stimulating and energetic. But an atmosphere of electricity would be almost certainly fatal to humans. So why is it taken to mean something else entirely? New research conducted by scientists at University College London reveals that people can be "hyperaltruistic," in that they would willingly give up rewards in order to save someone else from receiving a painful shock, but wouldn't do the same if it was them who was on the receiving end. Participants were placed in conditions where they either received electric shocks in return for money, or someone else got the shock while they still got the reward. The bigger the shock, the more the reward. But people were far more willing to accept the shock themselves than they were to inflict it on others, even if they got paid the same in either case. Whatever the interpretations of these results, one of the more striking features is that subjects would be so willing to receive electric shocks. This is comparable with another recent study that suggested people preferred having an electric shock to being left alone with their own thoughts. The obvious conclusion here is that people have a strange fascination with such shocks. Shock therapy administered by the Simpsons Electric shocks and science are intrinsically linked in our culture, from Frankenstein using lightning to jump-start his monster, to Peter Venkman's cruel tests in Ghostbusters, to Dr Marvin Monroe's therapy sessions in the Simpsons. In truth, shocks of some description are often used in a wide variety of scientific experiments. The main use of electric shocks in tests is as a form of punishment, and they are still used largely because they give a very real perception of discomfort or pain but, at the low levels in question, so don't cause any physical damage and the discomfort is very fleeting. Anything that causes actual physical harm can have lasting repercussions, so there are much greater concerns about the ethics of their use. Some studies have even shown that people can fall asleep during strong electric shock sessions, so it's reasonably safe to say that they're not always damaging. But of course, electric shocks can also be very dangerous. One of the most notorious psychological experiments, Stanley Milgram's studies on obedience, showed that people are willing to administer powerful, possibly even fatal, electric shocks to others purely because an authority figure instructed them to do so. Contrast that with "hyperaltruism"; what does it say about humans that they won't shock another person if paid to do it, but will if they are told to do so? Electric shocks can have arguably positive effects on the human body, like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and defibrillation, and very negative, like those caused by the electric chair. But it's widely agreed that, on the whole, an electric shock is something to be avoided. So why, then, do humans find them so fascinating, to the extent that you can buy children's toys that administer electric shocks. And everyone knows the old trick of shuffling your socked feet over carpet or rubbing a balloon to administer a static shock to an unsuspecting victim. Why are we so compelled to play around with something that presents, in extreme cases, a danger of death? An empty electric chair at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York. One theory is that we are drawn to risky things. You've heard of thrill seeking? Well, there is a theory behind this fondness for danger. Perhaps electricity, given that it is everywhere in the modern world, presents an "acceptable" risk as people mistake familiarity for understanding and harmlessness. Sensation seeking is also a recognised personality trait. People can be drawn to intense experiences, whatever the manner in which they are perceived. And an electric shock can provide a very intense sensation. You may doubt the notion that so many people could be so masochistic, but consider the global popularity of spicy food. Capsaicin, the active ingredient of chilli peppers that gives spice its heat, acts on the neurones for pain perception. The human race regularly and enthusiastically ingests chemicals that cause pain, so messing around with electricity doesn't seem so bizarre by comparison. Lightning strikes over St Michael's Mount in Marazion, Cornwall. Photograph: Lee Searle And we shouldn't rule out old-fashioned human curiosity. Electricity is everywhere but we rarely get to interact with it directly. So maybe any opportunity to do so scratches a curious itch, if somewhat vividly. The human fascination with electric shocks is unlikely to go away, so you may as well get used to it, or you could be in for a ... surprise.