CHICAGO -- Advances in the study of human social behavior may lead to a better understanding of normal processes such as empathy and theory of mind, as well as dysregulated conditions including autism spectrum disorder. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2019, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.
People are incredibly social creatures, and our brains have evolved to support a wide array of complex social behaviors. Everyday experiences, such as empathizing with others and finding flow in teamwork, are supported by sophisticated neural circuits that researchers are just beginning to map out. A better understanding of the neural basis of social behaviors could also shed light on conditions such as autism spectrum disorder or social anxiety, in which social abilities are affected.
Today's new findings show that:
"The neuroscience advances presented today expand our understanding of how our brains process social information, enabling us to live in our complex society," said Michael Platt, PhD, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania who studies decision processes. "These advances provide potential new avenues for researching empathy, theory of mind and even conditions such as autism spectrum disorder."
This research was supported by national funding agencies including the National Institutes of Health and private funding organizations. Find out more about social behavior and the brain on BrainFacts.org.
Related Neuroscience 2019 Presentation
Clinical Neuroscience Lecture: From Pecking Order to Ketamine: Neural Mechanisms of Social & Emotional Behaviors
Sunday, Oct. 20, 10:30 - 11:40 a.m., Hall B?
Social Behavior Press Conference Summary
Tactile Emojis and the Language of Social Touch
Sarah McIntyre, sarah.mcintyre@liu.se , Abstract 358.11
An Interbrain Approach for Understanding Empathy
Simone Shamay-Tsoory, sshamay@psy.haifa.ac.il , Abstract 274.06
Specific Neural Correlates Integrate Flow and Social Experience
Mohammad Shehata, mohammad.shehata@gmail.com , Abstract 249.15
Neurons in the Primate Amygdala Simulate Decision Processes of Social Partners
Fabian Grabenhorst, fabian.grabenhorst@gmail.com , Abstract 325.28
Cellular Representations of Human Theory of Mind
Ziv Williams, ZWilliams@mgh.harvard.edu , Abstract 249.03
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About the Society for Neuroscience
The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 37,000 members in more than 90 countries and over 130 chapters worldwide.