Social: Post#1--Overview

Overview:
Matthew Lieberman is a social psychologist and neuroscientist who studies how we (and our brains) relate to the social world. His big message is that our social brain is every bit as important as our analytical brain—even more so! Using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) studies, the author makes the following points: 1. Dependent: We’re born social as mammals, dependent on our mothers for survival. Thus, the social brain is inbred; 2. Mentalizing: We think about what others around us are thinking to not only survive but also to thrive; 3. Social Pain: Both social and physical pain feel and register on the same place in the brain; 4. Teaching and Leading: To get better at teaching and leading we need to engage our social brain to have a MUCH better chance at success.

Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect by Matthew Lieberman (Crown Publishers, 2013), reviewed by Steve Gladis