Last week we posted a blog on mirror neurons and a growing body of psychological research that suggests that language is closely intertwined with our abilities to empathize with and understand other people. In this Ted Talk, Neuroscientist Vilayanur Ramachandran outlines the fascinating functions of mirror neurons. Only recently discovered, these neurons allow us to learn complex…
Read MoreHow Our Brains Read People
For centuries, philosophers and scientists have struggled to discover the mysterious origins of human language. A growing body of psychological research may have developed a neurological answer to this question, finding that language is closely intertwined with our abilities to empathize with and understand other people. Not only does recent scholarship suggest that our language…
Read MoreReading Those Puppy Dog Eyes
While we have often discussed how universal emotional expressions are, emerging research is expanding this universality even beyond our own species! A recent 2017 study from the University of Helsinki sought to better understand how humans recognize emotions and facial expressions in dogs. The study found that, not only can humans effectively read canine expressions,…
Read MoreIntroducing Gottman’s Four Horsemen of Relationships
No, this isn’t a religious sermon, but it is an important message for anyone in a committed relationship. In previous blogs, we have delved into several factors that make marriages fail, succeed, and flourish. Building off that work, it is important to examine some of the other major challenges that face married couples. While this…
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