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social behavior

·April 15, 2025·4 min read

Bouncing to Bond: How the Brain Syncs During Social Dance

New research reveals how our brains coordinate with others during dancing, highlighting the importance of shared rhythm and visual contact. When dancers moved to the same song and could see each other, unique neural signals emerged to support social coordination.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 14, 2025·4 min read

Brain Region Found to Regulate Social Generosity

A new study reveals that the basolateral amygdala (BLA) plays a key role in calibrating prosocial behavior based on emotional closeness. Researchers studied individuals with Urbach-Wiethe disease, a rare condition that selectively damages the BLA, using economic games to assess generosity.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 13, 2025·4 min read

Shared Meals Strongly Linked to Greater Happiness, Study Finds

New research in the World Happiness Report reveals that people who regularly share meals with others tend to be happier and more emotionally satisfied, regardless of age, culture, or background.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 7, 2025·8 min read

Immune Signals Shape Social Behavior and Anxiety in the Brain

New research reveals that the immune molecule IL-17 can influence behavior by acting directly on specific regions of the brain. IL-17 reduces neuron excitability in the cortex to enhance sociability, while in the amygdala, it increases excitability and induces anxiety.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 18, 2025·4 min read

Early Life Stress Rewires Brain Circuits Linked to Social Motivation

New research shows that early life stress disrupts dopamine signaling, altering social motivation and behavior. Scientists found that mice raised in stressful conditions were less likely to engage in social interactions compared to those with enriched experiences.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 9, 2025·5 min read

Neural Mechanisms Behind Stress-Driven Social Changes Found

Male and female mice usually prefer female companions but switch to preferring males under survival stress, a new study reveals. This behavioral shift is driven by distinct brain circuits involving dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 6, 2025·4 min read

How the Brain Blends Senses to Understand Social Cues

New research reveals how smell and hearing interact in the brain during maternal behaviors like pup retrieval in mice. Signals from the basal amygdala (BA) merge with auditory inputs in the auditory cortex (AC), influencing responses to social sounds.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 27, 2024·4 min read

Oxytocin Influences Social Behavior and Emotional Response

New research reveals how oxytocin profoundly influences social behavior and emotional responses in the brain. Animal models have shown how this hormone impacts social fear and how chronic stress or early life experiences shape behavioral patterns.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·December 5, 2024·6 min read

Gene Defect Linked Brain Size and Social Behavior in ASD, Schizophrenia

A new study reveals how genetic deficits, particularly in the Tbx1 gene, are linked to reduced brain volume and altered social behavior, findings relevant to autism and schizophrenia. Researchers observed smaller amygdala volumes in Tbx1-deficient mice, a brain region key to emotional regulation and social behavior. These mice displayed less interest in social interaction, relying more on non-social cues like bedding preferences.

This shows a woman sitting alone with a mug of tea.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 3, 2024·3 min read

Alone Time Helps Reduce Holiday Stress

46% of Americans don’t get enough alone time during the holiday season, even though 56% say it’s crucial for their mental health. Taking brief moments alone can help the nervous system settle, reducing stress and improving well-being during this busy time.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 20, 2024·4 min read

Chimpanzees Show Friendly Behaviors Are Contagious

Grooming and play behaviors in chimpanzees are contagious, fostering social bonds and harmony within their groups. Conducted at a wildlife orphanage, the research shows how observing others’ positive actions encourages similar behaviors, with grooming occurring more often among close partners and play thriving among younger chimps.

This shows the monkeys trying to solve a problem.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 18, 2024·4 min read

Social Tolerance Fuels Learning in Wild Capuchin Monkeys

Wild bearded capuchins use social learning to solve problems, influenced by social tolerance and group dynamics. Researchers observed the monkeys interacting with a puzzle-box and found that grooming partners and tolerant individuals were more likely to learn from each other.