Curious Minds at Work cover image

Curious Minds at Work

CM 268: David Robson on Overcoming Loneliness

Jun 17, 2024
Award-winning science writer David Robson discusses overcoming loneliness by understanding cognitive biases and building social connections. Topics include shared reality, evolution of social pain neurons, navigating social relationships, self-expansion, gratitude, and human social potential.
00:00

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Building strong relationships involves experiencing a shared reality that leads to increased altruism and closeness.
  • Loneliness neurons become active when lacking social connections, emphasizing the brain's need for ongoing connection.

Deep dives

Building Stronger Relationships through Shared Reality

Building strong relationships involves experiencing a shared reality where individuals feel the same way about events, occupying a similar stream of consciousness. Research shows that sharing intimate thoughts and feelings, such as laughing at the same jokes or finishing each other's sentences, creates a feeling that minds have merged, leading to increased altruism and closeness in relationships.

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner