Neuroscience and Beyond
We are a team of PhD students located in Göttingen, Germany, who share a passion about neuroscience and science communication. On a monthly basis we talk with experts in neuroscience and discuss their research, career path, struggles along the way and current problems in the field.
Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences, the European Neuroscience Institute in Göttingen, the Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging" in Göttingen and SFB1286 Quantitative Synaptology in Göttingen. The content of the podcast represents our personal opinions and is separate from the institutions we are working at or collaborate with.
Neuroscience and Beyond
Neuroscience of Social Interactions: Friendship & Theory of Mind | Raymundo Báez-Mendoza, Ph.D.
In Episode 28 of Neuroscience and Beyond, we explore the neural basis of social behavior with Raymundo Báez-Mendoza Ph.D., #neuroscientist and group leader at the German Primate Centre. From understanding trust and cooperation to decoding fear and social distance, Báez-Mendoza’s work reveals how the #brain makes sense of our most fundamental social experiences.
Bridging research in humans and non-human primates, his lab uses game theory, structured behavioral tasks, and neural recordings to investigate the #cognitive and emotional processes that shape how we interact with others.
In this episode, we cover:
- How scientists model real-life social decisions in the lab
- The role of the amygdala in both fear and friendship
- How memory, reputation, and authority influence behavior
- What are Social Agent Identity Cells, and why do they matter?
- Insights from neural recordings during brain surgery
- and more!
🎧 Curious how the brain navigates trust, memory, and connection? Watch the full episode on YouTube to explore how neuroscience is helping us understand social interaction at its most fundamental level.
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🔗Link to the video: https://youtu.be/AFb4pQJC9zo
#SocialNeuroscience #GameTheory #Amygdala #PrimateResearch #Neuroeconomics #CognitiveNeuroscience #TheoryOfMind #NeurosciencePodcast #BehavouralNeuroscience
Supported by the International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences in #Göttingen, the European Neuroscience Institute, Cluster of Excellence Multiscale Bioimaging, as well as SFB1286
Timestamps
00:00:00 – Introduction & Báez-Mendoza’s Research
00:04:32 – From Mexico to Harvard: Comparing Research Cultures
00:09:40 – Social Interactions & Game Theory in Humans and Monkeys
00:15:56 – Training Monkeys for Social Decision-Making Tasks
00:22:25 – Recording Brain Activity in Monkeys
00:24:57 – Brain Regions Involved in Social Interaction
00:30:14 – Fear and Friendship: Amygdala’s Dual Role
00:33:34 – Memory and Social Decision-Making
00:38:10 – Theory of Mind in Monkeys
00:44:32 – What Are Social Agent Identity Cells?
00:49:10 – Human Brain Recordings During Surgery
00:54:11 – Role of Reputation and Authority in Decision-Making
01:00:12 – Sex Differences in Social Behavior & Research Constraints
Neuroscience and Beyond team:
Svilen Georgiev
Kristina Jevdokimenko
Ahsen Konaç Sayıcı
Mels Akhmetali
Laura van Agen