The Psychology Podcast Why Brains Need Friends w/ Dr. Ben Rein
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Oct 9, 2025 Dr. Ben Rein, a Stanford neuroscientist and author of *Why Brains Need Friends*, joins to explore the neurobiology of social interaction. He discusses the epidemic of loneliness and why our brains crave connection. Ben highlights the roles of oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin in making socializing rewarding. They dive into empathy training, explaining how we can increase cognitive empathy and the factors affecting our likability. Plus, he examines the downsides of virtual interactions and the impact of social media on mental health.
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Modern Isolation Harms Brains
- Society is becoming more isolated and this is a genuine, measurable trend exacerbated by recent events like COVID.
- That isolation harms brain health because social contact evolved to support survival and wellbeing.
Evolutionary Pitfalls Block Connection
- Our brains have built-in pitfalls shaped by evolution that make connecting harder in modern environments.
- Those ancient mechanisms can make us avoid interaction even when it's no longer adaptive.
Train Conversation Study Surprise
- In public interaction studies, people predicted >50% rejection when approaching strangers but experienced 0% rejection across hundreds of trials.
- The strangers typically reported enjoying the interaction and feeling better afterward.
