"Quanto mais dopamina, maior a satisfação": Uma análise crítica dos retratos midiáticos e das concepções leigas sobre a dopamina

Abstract

This study critically investigates the media portrayals and popular opinion about dopamine in the context of a critical comparison of scientific definitions. Simultaneously, it reviews the scientific literature on the dopamine molecule and discusses the phenomenon of the "neuro" prerogative as a validation tool for an essentially brain-centered discourse in contemporary psychology. To achieve this, a quali-quantitative methodology was employed, combining the application of semi-open questionnaires via Google Forms, a literature review, and searches in online newspapers and YouTube. The questionnaire was designed to capture popular perceptions of dopamine through a semiotic lens. The results revealed an evident tendency to simplify physical, cognitive, and emotional processes, projected in the massive repetition of terms that associate dopamine with a limited set of signs, divided into positive effects: well-being, motivation, and mood enhancement; and negative effects: dysregulation of the reward system, risk of addiction, and health issues such as stress and apathy. Furthermore, from the perspective of the sample group, physical activity and healthy eating are indicated as the main factors responsible for increasing the availability of dopamine in the human body.