On Humans Encore | How Love Synchronises Our Brains ~ Ruth Feldman
How literally can we be in "synch" with someone?
Very literally, said my guest in episode 3. Originally titled “A Musical Biology of Love”, this was a fascinating episode with jazz musician and neuroscientist Ruth Feldman. We recorded the episode one year ago, almost to the day. I have thought a lot about it ever since. So here it is again, with remastered audio and a new introduction. Original show notes are below. Enjoy!
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Can biology expand our appreciation of love? What is the relationship between jazz and neuroscience? What does it mean to be in "synch" with someone?
Ruth Feldman is a professor of neuroscience at Reichman University, Israel, with a joint appointment at the Yale Child Story Centre. A jazz musician before being a neuroscientist, Feldman combines musical ideas of synchrony into her research on the neurobiology of attachment, bonding, and love.
Ilari and Professor Feldman discuss topics such as:
- Why study the biology of love
- What happens in the brain when we love
- Brain-to-brain synchrony: How love (and friendship) can synchronize our brains with each other
- Oxytocin with loved ones, strangers, and enemies
- Post-partum depression
- Parental love in gay dads
- Females and males as primary caregivers
- The relationship between brain-to-brain synchrony and oxytocin
- Empathy within and beyond group boundaries with Israeli and Palestinian youth
- Attachment theory, attachment problems, and ways to overcome them
Technical terms mentioned
- Oxytocin
- Brain oscillations (i.e. brain waves)
- EEG (a method to study brain oscillations)
- Neuropeptide
- Kangaroo care (after premature birth)
Names mentioned
- Wallace Stevens (American poet)
- Emmanuel Levinas (French philosopher)
- John Bowlby (founder of the attachment theory)
Other links and reference