The social brain: why is it an evolutionary advantage?

The social brain is a concept created by neurosciences and refers to the innate ability to relate to others. It has been proven that there are brain circuits that intervene in both the formation of self-awareness and empathic ability.

The concept of the social brain is based on the idea that There are several brain areas directly linked to social relationships. There is the fusiform gyrus, which allows faces to be stored in memory; of course, mirror neurons, which make imitation possible; Von Economo neurons, which guide us in conflicts, etc.

On the other hand, there is the ability to create and use language. This aspect was definitive in the evolution of man and is directly associated with the need to relate to others. The social brain comprises two large systems: mirror neurons and theory of mind. Let’s see.

The social brain and mirror neurons

Mirror neurons are a special type of neurons that They are activated when you observe actions or emotional expressions in other people. That is to say, when someone watches another person doing something, it is as if they themselves were doing it. In one way or another, human beings appropriate the feelings and emotions of others.

Mirror neurons are found mainly in the frontal lobe, a region associated with movement and touch sensitivity; also in the parietal lobe, which provides the body image and information from the senses; and in the insular cortex and the cingulum, both related to emotions and pain.

Mirror neurons cause the so-called “contagion effect,” which is one of the fundamental mechanisms of the social brain.

As the name indicates, this effect leads to the emotions and feelings of others being transmitted from one person to another, through an almost automatic mechanism. In this way, we end up imitating what is perceived in the environment.

theory of mind

The other major system that structures the social brain is the theory of mind. This is the ability to attribute intentions or thoughts to other people. or even to other entities on some occasions. This function allows you to reflect on your own mental state and that of others, mainly through bodily signs.

This self and other perception includes emotions, feelings, beliefs, etc. Finally, it allows us to predict how our own behavior and that of others will be., before certain events. In general, this ability is not exercised deliberately, but intuitively.

Both mirror neurons and theory of mind are the two major components of the social brain and its most finished product: empathy. This is defined as the ability to understand others on their own terms or, in other words, putting oneself in the place of others.

We are born with the potential to develop empathy, but it is not always achieved. Under “normal” conditions, all human beings would have the ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. However, individual experiences and education can promote unempathetic behaviors, through poorly adaptive behaviors, prejudices, etc.

Cooperation is an intelligent act

If the human being is equipped to be sociable, it is not because of a whim of nature.. Linking with others was decisive for the species to evolve. Language is one of the most elaborate products of this evolution and its function is precisely to connect the thoughts and feelings of one person with another.

We could say that the human being is a helpless being, with much less strength and agility than other beings in nature and with precariously developed senses compared to those of other animals. If he managed to successfully cope with an environment in which he had no greater chance of surviving, it was thanks to his brain; This, in turn, owes much of its development to the social.

What was true for the primitives continues to be true for contemporary man, although for the moment a society with individualistic and utilitarian values ​​prevails. It is proven in daily life and in the history of the peoples who Cooperation is the fastest way to overcome problems and go far.. Nature invites that, through the social brain.

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