Jim Coan – Our Social Baseline

In this episode, Wendy speaks with psychologist and affective neuroscientist Jim Coan. Jim is a leading researcher on how social connection impacts our minds, brains, and bodies, and he's also pushing the boundaries of impactful science communication. This conversation covers many topics, including:

• studying relationships and emotions in the brain;

• how a confusing research finding changed his career;

• how holding hands impacts our bodies and minds;

• understanding energy regulation and prediction;

• social baseline theory;

• the prefrontal cortex and self-regulation;

• implications for the default mode network;

• social support as energetic resources for the body;

• effects of hand holding on pain processing;

• introversion and social support;

• the two things all his students must memorize;

• the costs and benefits of social interactions;

• implications for loss of relationship;

• sense of self, belonging, and the importance of supporting others;

• communicating science through comics;

• and surviving—even flourishing—through climate change.

Full show notes and resources (podcast.mindandlife.org/jim-coan)