Safari Game Diagram (IMAGE) Princeton University Caption Princeton University researchers found that our brains combine complicated observations from our surroundings into a simple assessment of the situation that aids our behavior, is flexible enough to account for new information, and can accurately track the likelihood of several different explanations for what we see (A). They studied the brain while participants played a game (B) that required them to classify five different animals into the correct zones -- blue, yellow, green and pink -- in a safari park. After becoming acquainted with the animal populations in the four zones of the virtual safari park (C), participants saw a series of animal pictures and had to correctly determine in which of two zones the animals were most likely to belong (D), even when neither of the two zones was the most likely choice. Functional magnetic resonance imaging indicated that this is because the brain region known as the orbitofrontal cortex correctly tracked the probabilities that the various animals belonged to different zones. Credit (Safari map by Stephanie Chan. Animals courtesy of Science With Me) Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.