Praise is as good as cash to brain - Behavior- msnbc.com

Why do we care so much about having a good reputation? Researchers have found that reward centers in the brain light up when people are paid a compliment, just as they do when the people are given a cash reward. People also seemed to be rewarded when their social standing improved. "[T]he fact that the social reward is biologically coded suggests that 'the need to belong ... is essential for humans.'"