Introduction to Social Neuroscience - by Stephanie Cacioppo & John T Cacioppo (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Humans, like many other animals, are highly social species. But what exactly makes us social? How do our biological systems implement social behavior? And, in turn, how do these social processes impact our brain and biology? These are the questions that define the young field of social neuroscience, a field that combines the study of animal models and humans in order to understand the neural, hormonal, cellular, and genomic mechanisms underlying social processes and behaviors such as imitation, loneliness, empathy, and cooperation. Intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students, this is the first textbook to provide a synthetic approach to social neuroscience. Here, students and scholars are introduced to the field by examining a growing body of evidence that shows that the nervous system cannot be understood without consideration of the social environments in which humans and many animal species live. The first three chapters introduce readers to the neurological basis for social behavior and the concept of the social brain. Chapters four through six discuss how mental states are communicated between people. And chapters seven through nine cover the neural roots of social interactions and group thought patterns. Ultimately, this book demonstrates how the brain mediates social behaviour and provides a foundational textbook for this nascent field"--

Book Synopsis

A textbook that lays down the foundational principles for understanding social neuroscience

Humans, like many other animals, are a highly social species. But how do our biological systems implement social behaviors, and how do these processes shape the brain and biology? Spanning multiple disciplines, Introduction to Social Neuroscience seeks to engage students and scholars alike in exploring the effects of the brain's perceived connections with others. This wide-ranging textbook provides a quintessential foundation for comprehending the psychological, neural, hormonal, cellular, and genomic mechanisms underlying such varied social processes as loneliness, empathy, theory-of-mind, trust, and cooperation.

Stephanie and John Cacioppo posit that our brain is our main social organ. They show how the same objective relationship can be perceived as friendly or threatening depending on the mental states of the individuals involved in that relationship. They present exercises and evidence-based findings readers can put into practice to better understand the neural roots of the social brain and the cognitive and health implications of a dysfunctional social brain. This textbook's distinctive features include the integration of human and animal studies, clinical cases from medicine, multilevel analyses of topics from genes to societies, and a variety of methodologies.

Unveiling new facets to the study of the social brain's anatomy and function, Introduction to Social Neuroscience widens the scientific lens on human interaction in society.

• The first textbook on social neuroscience intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students
• Chapters address the psychological, neural, hormonal, cellular, and genomic mechanisms underlying the brain's perceived connections with others
• Materials integrate human and animal studies, clinical cases, multilevel analyses, and multiple disciplines

Review Quotes

"Winner of the PROSE Award in Psychology and Applied Social Work, Association of American Publishers"

About the Author

Stephanie Cacioppo is the first female president of the Society for Social Neuroscience and is assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, where she also directs the brain dynamics laboratory. John T. Cacioppo (1951-2018) was the Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor and director of the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. He coined the term "social neuroscience" in 1992, and his many books include Handbook of Neuroscience for the Behavioral Sciences (Wiley) and Loneliness (Norton).