Science of Social Bonding in Family, Friendship & Romantic Love | Episode 51
Main Takeaways
Social bonds are rooted in the bond between parent/caregiver and child, but experiences can rewire the system and create plasticity.
Social isolation is the state where animals or humans do not get the social interactions they prefer, leading to a craving for dopamine and seeking it from food.
The hallmark features of social isolation are elevated adrenaline, cortisol, tachykinin, which can cause aggression and irritability.
Brain circuits responsible for "social homeostasis" drive us to maintain a certain level of connection, just like hunger, temperature, and thirst.
Loneliness is not just being alone; it is the discrepancy between desired and actual levels of interaction.
Brain areas responsible for bonding include the amygdala, hypothalamus, and dorsal raphe nucleus.
Introverts are motivated or satisfied by low levels of social interaction, while extroverts get energy or a lift from social interaction.
Autonomic bonding involves coordination of right and left brain circuits, with the right brain handling more autonomic forms of bonding.
Emotional and cognitive empathy are necessary for building trusting social bonds in romantic relationships and friendships.
Shared experiences and traditions anchor our psychology and help establish social bonds by synchronizing our physiology.
