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What Makes Us Social?
A deep dive into the social mind-brain, examining the processes we share with other social animals and illuminating those that are uniquely human.
What Makes Us Social? is a scholarly but accessible exploration of the underlying processes that make humans the most social species on the planet. Chris and Uta Frith, pioneers in the field of cognitive neuroscience, review the many forms of social behavior that we humans share with other animals and examine the special form that only humans possess, including its dark side. These uniquely human abilities allow us to reflect on our behavior and share these reflections with other people, which in turn enables us to reason why we do things and to exert some control over our automatic behaviors. As a result, we can learn cooperatively with others and create and value cultural artifacts that survive through the generations.
Going beyond how we come to know ourselves and understand the mind of others, Frith and Frith investigate how we adapt mutually to make social interactions work. This book stands out in its application of a computational framework—one that lies at the intersection of psychology and artificial intelligence—to key concepts of social cognition, such as empathy, trust, group identity, and reputation management. Ultimately, What Makes Us Social? is a profound examination of the ways we communicate, cooperate, share, and compete with other humans and how these capabilities define us as a species.
What Makes Us Social? is a scholarly but accessible exploration of the underlying processes that make humans the most social species on the planet. Chris and Uta Frith, pioneers in the field of cognitive neuroscience, review the many forms of social behavior that we humans share with other animals and examine the special form that only humans possess, including its dark side. These uniquely human abilities allow us to reflect on our behavior and share these reflections with other people, which in turn enables us to reason why we do things and to exert some control over our automatic behaviors. As a result, we can learn cooperatively with others and create and value cultural artifacts that survive through the generations.
Going beyond how we come to know ourselves and understand the mind of others, Frith and Frith investigate how we adapt mutually to make social interactions work. This book stands out in its application of a computational framework—one that lies at the intersection of psychology and artificial intelligence—to key concepts of social cognition, such as empathy, trust, group identity, and reputation management. Ultimately, What Makes Us Social? is a profound examination of the ways we communicate, cooperate, share, and compete with other humans and how these capabilities define us as a species.
- GenresPsychology
423 pages, Paperback
Published September 12, 2023
5 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Chris Frith
12 books49 followersAuthor writes under Christopher D. Frith as well.
Chris Frith is Emeritus Professor of Neuropsychology at the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging at University College London and Honorary Research Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy, University of London. He has contributed many papers to scientific journals and is the author of The Cognitive Neuropsychology of Schizophrenia and Making up the Mind: How the Brain Creates our Mental World. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and the British Academy.
After several years trying to understand schizophrenia, Chris pioneered the application of brain imaging to the study of mental processes such a consciousness and free will. He has become increasingly interested in social interactions (how we make decisions together, why we cooperate) and in the role of culture in consciousness and free will. In 2014 he was awarded the Jean Nicod Prize (jointly with Uta Frith) for philosophical oriented work in cognitive science. Together, Chris & Uta developed the idea for Two heads a graphic exploration of how our brains work with other brains.
You can learn more about Chris and Uta and read their blog on http://frithmind.org/
Chris Frith is Emeritus Professor of Neuropsychology at the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging at University College London and Honorary Research Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy, University of London. He has contributed many papers to scientific journals and is the author of The Cognitive Neuropsychology of Schizophrenia and Making up the Mind: How the Brain Creates our Mental World. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and the British Academy.
After several years trying to understand schizophrenia, Chris pioneered the application of brain imaging to the study of mental processes such a consciousness and free will. He has become increasingly interested in social interactions (how we make decisions together, why we cooperate) and in the role of culture in consciousness and free will. In 2014 he was awarded the Jean Nicod Prize (jointly with Uta Frith) for philosophical oriented work in cognitive science. Together, Chris & Uta developed the idea for Two heads a graphic exploration of how our brains work with other brains.
You can learn more about Chris and Uta and read their blog on http://frithmind.org/
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 2, 2023
This is the best psychology book I've read in at least a decade! It is mapped out so well that it is accessible to various audiences. Packed with insights and inclusion of the latest research on social cognition, it surpasses their Jean Nicod Lectures! I will be recommending it to students and colleagues.
February 28, 2024
A remarkable achievement, setting out clearly what we know about how the mind-machine works, very clearly explained and never dumbed down. An essential read for anyone who wants to understand themselves and society. It does look, on the page, very dry, but it’s actually very exciting. ‘Two Heads’ is a fun companion book, and the much earlier book ‘Making up the mind’ might be the best overall introduction.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews