Mysteries of the Social Brain. Understanding Human Behavior Through Science

Mysteries of the Social Brain describes the scientific underpinnings of human behavior and values. Through the retelling of fascinating clinical stories of people with neurological conditions, this book explores the parts of the brain that allow humans to thrive as social and creative beings. The authors reveal the relevance of our brain circuits to our well-being—and the well-being of our societies—and show what happens when changes in our brain circuitry drive changes in empathy, altruism, moral beliefs, and creativity.

By integrating perspectives from neurology, psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, the stories in this book offer novel insights into the inner workings of the social brain and reveal groundbreaking findings from work in frontotemporal dementia, emotion, and the science of human values. The book showcases the novel discovery that creativity can emerge when there is decline in the brain’s language systems, a finding that highlights the robust, yet underappreciated connections between science and art. Readers will learn about the biological basis of social behavior as well as simple steps that they can take to improve the functioning of their own social brains.

Miller and Sturm take us on an engaging dive into the field of behavioral neurology and neuroscience, exploring what we can learn from people with neurological conditions, and revealing the ways that neuroscience can change societies for the better. It will captivate general readers as well as clinicians and scientists who are interested in human social behavior, cognition, and emotion.

CONTENTS

Prologue
Introduction
Chapter 1. Anatomy of the Social Brain
Chapter 2. Fairness
Chapter 3. Empathy
Chapter 4. Respect
Chapter 5. Self-Awareness
Chapter 6. Openness
Chapter 7. Creativity
Chapter 8. Cultivating the Social Brain
Epilogue
Glossary