Description

Explores the behavioral neuroscience of social attachment and its significance in establishing and maintaining human well-being. Exploring the behavioral neuroscience of social attachment, this book considers the evolution of social contact and its biological importance for human well-being. Through chapters on evolutionary aspects, chemical messengers and social neuroendocrinology, it demonstrates the complex physiological and endocrine systems that underlie behavioral adaptations. Exploring the behavioral neuroscience of social attachment, this book considers the evolution of social contact and its biological importance for human well-being. Through chapters on evolutionary aspects, chemical messengers and social neuroendocrinology, it demonstrates the complex physiological and endocrine systems that underlie behavioral adaptations. Recently, an interest in our understanding of well-being within the context of competition and cooperation has re-emerged within the biological and neural sciences. Given that we are social animals, our well-being is tightly linked to interactions with others. Pro-social behavior establishes and sustains human contact, contributing to well-being. Adaptation and Well-Being is about the evolution and biological importance of social contact. Social sensibility is an essential feature of our central nervous systems, and what have evolved are elaborate behavioral ways in which to sustain and maintain the physiological and endocrine systems that underlie behavioral adaptations. Writing for his fellow academics, and with chapters on evolutionary aspects, chemical messengers and social neuroendocrinology among others, Jay Schulkin explores this fascinating field of behavioral neuroscience. Introduction; 1. Evolutionary perspectives and hominoid expression; 2. Social competence and cortical evolution; 3. A window into the brain; 4. Chemical messengers and the physiology of change and adaptation; 5. Social neuroendocrinology; 6. Cephalic adaptation, devolution and incentives; 7. Neocortex, amygdala and prosocial behaviors; Conclusion: evolution, social allostasis and well-being; References; Index. 'Jay Schulkin is able to stand back from the mass of detail that sometimes overwhelms the rest of us, and offers us the enjoyment and excitement of a true synthesis. In this book he discusses the fundamental ability that is an absolute requirement for biological success: adaptation. The essence of his argument is that this involves not only physical adaptation to a harsh and competitive world, but social adaptation … Relating this to internal events in the body, particularly those that have evolved to deal with stress and its aftermath, makes this a synthesis that will intrigue and fascinate us all. Those who study social behaviour often seem separated by a chasm of incomprehension from those working on the neural and hormonal aspects of adaptation … Schulkin has attempted to build not one, but several bridges across this chasm. To walk across them is a pleasure.' Joe Herbert, University of Cambridge 'Social species, by definition, form organizations that extend beyond the individual. These structures evolved hand in hand with behavioral, neural, hormonal, cellular, and genetic mechanisms to support them because the consequent social behaviors helped these organisms survive, reproduce, and care for offspring sufficiently long that they too reproduced, thereby ensuring their genetic legacy. In this important book, Jay Schul