Name: The biology of our best and worst selves
Uploaded: 2017-05-09T15:04:28Z
Duration: 15 min 41 s
Description: How can humans be so compassionate and altruistic -- and also so brutal and violent? To understand why we do what we do, neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky looks at extreme context, examining actions on timescales from seconds to millions of years before they occurred. In this fascinating talk, he shares his cutting edge research into the biology that drives our worst and best behaviors.

How can humans be so compassionate and altruistic -- and also so brutal and violent? To understand why we do what we do, neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky looks at extreme context, examining actions on timescales from seconds to millions of years before they occurred. In this fascinating talk, he shares his cutting edge research into the biology that drives our worst and best behaviors.

Robert Sapolsky: The biology of our best and worst selves

The biology of our best and worst selves

Exploring violence’s roots, it's revealed that actions are influenced by factors from seconds to millennia before they occur.

Testosterone levels and stress can skew perception, showing how deeply internal states impact our interpretations and reactions.

Humanity's capacity for change is profound, from a slave ship captain turning abolitionist to enemies finding common ground.