Why Are We So Wired To Connect?

What drives our powerful need for social interaction? And what makes being alone difficult? These are just a couple of the questions that Matthew Lieberman, a social neurologist from the University of California, explores in his newest book, Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect. Through his research, Lieberman has identified compelling evidence demonstrating the neuroscience behind our human interactions -- with broad implications for how we live our lives. For example, we now know that the connection between physical and social pain is very real -- in that, they are both processed through the same neural pathways. From an evolutionary standpoint, this begs the question -- that perhaps our social connections are more than just a mere luxury, that perhaps they are, in face, a necessity. Our brains are continuously working, and in order to better respond to our environment. "This is what our brains were wired for: reaching out to and interacting with others," writes Lieberman. This article shares more.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/656/why-are-we-so-wired-to-connect-jill-suttie/