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social bonding

·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.

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·October 10, 2024·5 min read

Smiles Are Contagious: Shared Expression Fosters Connection

Smiles during face-to-face conversations strongly impact connection, with the intensity of one person's smile often influencing the other. Researchers found that speakers smiled more when listeners smiled, especially in same-sex interactions, indicating that mutual smiles foster warmth and comfort.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 18, 2024·3 min read

Brain’s Social Bonding Mechanism Unveiled

A new study reveals how our brains remember the faces of caregivers and loved ones. Researchers discovered that the same brain mechanism used to remember the value of objects is also involved in associating faces with familiarity and social bonds. This finding sheds light on the neural basis of social relationships and may have implications for understanding and treating disorders like Parkinson's disease.

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·February 23, 2024·4 min read

Ketamine’s Key to Unlocking Social Bonding in Depression

Researchers made a significant breakthrough in understanding how ketamine treats depression-related social impairments, focusing on the drug's effects in the mouse model. Their study shows that (R)-ketamine, as opposed to (S)-ketamine, effectively restores neuronal activity in the anterior insular cortex, a region crucial for emotional regulation and social cognition.

This shows a gerbil and the chemical structure of testosterone

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·August 12, 2022·7 min read

Testosterone Promotes ‘Cuddling,’ Not Just Aggression

While more commonly associated with promoting aggressive behaviors, testosterone can also promote social affection and prosocial behaviors in males, a new study on gerbils finds.

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·June 27, 2022·5 min read

Scent of a Friend: Similarities in Body Odor May Contribute to Social Bonding

People have a tendency to form friendships with others who have a similar natural body odor, a new study reports. Using an electronic eNose to "smell" body odor, researchers were able to predict the quality of social interaction between strangers.

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·September 27, 2021·4 min read

Psychedelics Linked to Social Bonding and Prosocial Behaviors in Ravers

Drums, dance, sleep deprivation, and drugs, referred to as the 4D's in the rave scene was associated with personal transformation for those who considered a rave to be an awe-inspiring event. The more a person felt personally transformed by the experience, the more bonded to the fellow ravers they felt. This phenomenon may explain the long-standing popularity of the rave scene.

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·January 18, 2020·4 min read

What people who don’t like music might tell us about social interaction

Musical anhedonia, a neurological condition where people don't enjoy music, affects 5% of the population. Researchers are exploring if this same condition could also be what impairs social bonding for some people on the autism spectrum.

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·September 2, 2019·2 min read

How humans have shaped dogs’ brains

Selective breeding has altered brain anatomy in dogs. Neuroimaging of 33 dog breeds revealed brain structures varied across breeds, and the variations are associated with specific behaviors.