Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast Dr. Robert Sapolsky: Baboons, Stress Research, Connection and Determinism
Oct 16, 2023
In this captivating discussion, Dr. Robert Sapolsky, a renowned neuroscientist and primatologist from Stanford University, shares insights from his extensive work with baboons and their social dynamics. He reveals how grooming, not dominance, influences health in baboon troops. Sapolsky also explores the impact of a tuberculosis outbreak that reshaped baboon society, the connection between stress and human behavior, and his own struggles with depression. Delving into determinism, he emphasizes compassion over blame, providing a thought-provoking perspective on morality and behavior.
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Museum Sparked A Lifetime Of Fieldwork
- Robert Sapolsky discovered his lifelong fascination with primates in the primate hall of the American Museum of Natural History as a child.
- That museum experience drove him to pursue fieldwork in Kenya despite having no prior real-world experience.
Naivety On First Field Trip
- Sapolsky recounts being naive on his first day in Nairobi and getting conned by a convincing refugee story.
- He gave away much of his money and later recognized how vulnerable he was in that environment.
Affiliation Beats Rank For Health
- Social relationships and personality predicted baboon health better than strict dominance rank.
- Grooming ties and affiliative bonds often outperformed high rank for lower stress and better physiology.
