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bonding

·May 23, 2025·6 min read

Overimitation May Not Signal Social Bonding in Toddlers Just Yet

Overimitation, the tendency to copy unnecessary actions, has been observed in older children but was previously unstudied in toddlers under two. A new study found that 16–21-month-olds showed low rates of overimitation, and it wasn’t driven by a desire to affiliate with people similar to themselves.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 15, 2025·5 min read

Early Bonding Buffers Kids from Lasting Effects of Maternal Depression

A new study highlights the lasting impact of postpartum maternal depression and mother-to-infant bonding on children’s emotional and behavioral outcomes. Researchers found that early bonding can partially offset the negative effects of maternal depression, reducing future psychosocial difficulties.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 25, 2024·4 min read

Moms’ Baby Talk Boosts Infant Oxytocin

A new study reveals that when mothers regularly discuss their infants’ thoughts and feelings, it is associated with higher oxytocin levels in their babies. Oxytocin, a hormone crucial for social bonding and emotional development, is influenced by the way mothers reference their child’s internal states during interactions.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 8, 2024·6 min read

Emotional Bonding: How Dog-Owner Heart Rates Sync During Interaction

Dogs and their owners show synchronized heart rate variability (HRV), reflecting shared emotional states during relaxed interactions, a new study reveals. Researchers observed that both heart rate and physical activity levels adapt between dogs and owners, but the strongest emotional connection appears during restful moments, indicating shared relaxation.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 14, 2024·5 min read

When Dogs and Humans Connect, So Do Their Brainwaves

Research reveals that dogs’ and humans’ brain activity can synchronize when they gaze into each other’s eyes. Known as neural coupling, this phenomenon has been seen in interactions within species, but observing it between different species highlights the unique human-dog bond.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 25, 2024·3 min read

Key Neurons for Maternal Bonding Identified

A new study reveals that specific neurons in the brain's zona incerta (ZI) are crucial for early social interactions between infants and their mothers. These neurons, which express somatostatin, help build the maternal bond and reduce stress in infants. Interestingly, the same neurons increase anxiety and fear responses in adult mice. This discovery highlights the ZI's role in infant development and its potential adaptation over time.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 14, 2024·4 min read

Facial Expressions Key to Strong Social Bonds

Humans may have evolved complex facial expressions to enhance social bonding. By analyzing over 1,500 natural conversations, the study found that expressive individuals were more liked and better at achieving social goals. Expressive participants were easier to read and more successful in conflict negotiations. This suggests facial expressivity plays a crucial role in human social interactions and relationship building.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 19, 2024·3 min read

Bonding Boosts Brain Sync in Groups

Bonding in small hierarchical groups leads to enhanced neural synchronization between leaders and followers, fostering more dynamic communication. Using fNIRS technology to record brain activity in 176 triads during communication exercises, researchers found that groups who underwent a bonding session demonstrated increased verbal interaction and quicker shifts in dialogue participants, especially between leaders and followers.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 22, 2024·5 min read

Mapping Love and Sex in the Brain

Researchers developed the first comprehensive brain map showing activity in prairie voles during mating and bonding, uncovering 68 brain regions involved in forming enduring monogamous relationships. This study challenges previous assumptions that male and female brains operate differently during these processes, revealing nearly identical patterns of brain activity in both sexes.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 9, 2023·5 min read

Emotional Training Strengthens Mother-Baby Bonds

Up to one-third of mothers struggle to bond with their babies, leading to emotional distress for both, but a new approach may offer hope. Researchers trained expectant mothers, particularly those at high risk of postpartum depression, to better recognize and respond to infant emotions.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 26, 2023·5 min read

Balanced Parenting Is Key to Nurturing Harmonious Sibling Bonds

A new study suggests that equal treatment of siblings by parents fosters better sibling relationships. Analyzing retrospective reports of 325 college-age adults, the researchers found that parental differential treatment and family cohesion work in tandem to shape sibling relations.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 17, 2023·9 min read

Prairie Voles Born via C-Section Can’t Bond: Is Birth Key to How We Love and Relate?

Prairie voles born via cesarean section were unable to form pair bonds. However, exposing them to oxytocin allowed the c-section-born prairie voles to form pair bonds upon maturity. The findings raise an interesting question: Is our method of birth more important to how we love and form relationships than we realize?