The main function of the amygdala is typically associated with the processing of emotions, especially fear. However, as brain research advances, the restrictive approach of attributing one rigid role to a distinct brain region has been called into question. In this study we provide experimental evidence that, contrary to a fear-specific view on the amygdala's function, the amygdala is sensitive to emotionally neutral stimuli with manipulated goal-relevance, determined by an individual's motivational style. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), participants performed a target detection task in three different experimental settings.