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Born for Love

Empathy, the Brain, and Human Connections

Stress
Friends (and Family) Are the Best Medicine

Maia Szalavitz on July 28, 2010

That's one reason abuse can be so damaging: it can actually wire in a response in which abuse is associated with stress relief.

That's one reason abuse can be so damaging: it can actually wire in a response in which abuse is associated with stress relief.

Depression
The Internet's Long Memory and Empathy

Maia Szalavitz on July 26, 2010

Research shows that it is easier to act inhumane when you dehumanize your opponent: the internet eases this because you can't see your victims' face.

Research shows that it is easier to act inhumane when you dehumanize your opponent: the internet eases this because you can't see your victims' face.

Addiction
Cocaine, Bad Boys, Nerds... and Twitter

Maia Szalavitz on April 30, 2010

Will this be the push that delivers a fine hit of recognition and praise -- or will I instead feel like the nerd on the edge of the playground?

Will this be the push that delivers a fine hit of recognition and praise -- or will I instead feel like the nerd on the edge of the playground?

Humor
The Joy of Empathy: Why It Matters & How to Teach It to Your Kids

Maia Szalavitz on March 29, 2010

We all have the natural capacity (in the absence of some brain disorders) for empathy. However, like language, empathy requires particular experiences to promote learning. The 'words" and "grammar" of empathy are taught first via early nurturing experiences.

We all have the natural capacity (in the absence of some brain disorders) for empathy. However, like language, empathy requires particular experiences to promote learning. The 'words" and "grammar" of empathy are taught first via early nurturing experiences.

Anger
The Dark Side of 'The Secret': Empathy and Inequality

Maia Szalavitz on March 5, 2010

We have a natural sense of fairness and a natural distaste for extreme inequality.  However, we also have many ways to rationalize these empathic traits away.

We have a natural sense of fairness and a natural distaste for extreme inequality.  However, we also have many ways to rationalize these empathic traits away.

Empathy
Touching Empathy

Maia Szalavitz on March 1, 2010

Cultures that lavish more affection on infants and children may be less violent and less prone to crime.

Cultures that lavish more affection on infants and children may be less violent and less prone to crime.

Addiction
Chronic Pain and Empathy

Maia Szalavitz on February 24, 2010

Unless you want to believe that granddad decided to try coke when he realized how great Oxy was and went off to find a connection, prior history of drug problems is a better explanation for most patients' drug problems than addiction caused by pain treatment.

Unless you want to believe that granddad decided to try coke when he realized how great Oxy was and went off to find a connection, prior history of drug problems is a better explanation for most patients' drug problems than addiction caused by pain treatment.

Empathy
Empathy and the Economy

Maia Szalavitz on February 21, 2010

If you can trust others, you are also likely to be healthier-- the more connected people are and the safer they feel, the more creative they can be and the less stressful their lives are. Less stress means lower rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes.

If you can trust others, you are also likely to be healthier-- the more connected people are and the safer they feel, the more creative they can be and the less stressful their lives are. Less stress means lower rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes.

Relationships
Tough Love or Tough Luck?

Maia Szalavitz on February 17, 2010

Some parents-like those of Laura Franklin who appear on ABC -take a tough approach that helps their child get into treatment. But when George McGovern and Robert "Woody" Johnson and their wives, cut off all contact with and support for their daughters, the daughters wound up dead.

Some parents-like those of Laura Franklin who appear on ABC -take a tough approach that helps their child get into treatment. But when George McGovern and Robert "Woody" Johnson and their wives, cut off all contact with and support for their daughters, the daughters wound up dead.

Child Development
Want Empathetic Children? Take Joy in Empathy

Maia Szalavitz on February 16, 2010

We tend to think of empathy as something that comes from “knowing what it’s like” to feel pain—but the origins of empathy are in shared nurture.

We tend to think of empathy as something that comes from “knowing what it’s like” to feel pain—but the origins of empathy are in shared nurture.

Genetics
Liberals, Conservatives, Spanking and the NY Times

Maia Szalavitz on February 14, 2010

While there are genetic tendencies that affect these systems, they are also highly responsive to early life experience.  If that experience is nurturing and empathetic, the system will wire up one way; if it is harsh and frightening, the same genes will produce a very different wiring.

While there are genetic tendencies that affect these systems, they are also highly responsive to early life experience.  If that experience is nurturing and empathetic, the system will wire up one way; if it is harsh and frightening, the same genes will produce a very different wiring.

Parenting
Born for Love: Welcome

Maia Szalavitz on February 11, 2010

In Born for Love, we present the argument that empathy is a natural human quality like language—one that relies on specific early experiences to develop properly.  We argue that when these experiences of nurture and human contact are present for children, families, cultures and economies tend to flourish.  When these early experiences are absent, however—and this is increasingly the case in the environments inhabited by today’s children—creative thought, progress and economic growth are threatened. 

In Born for Love, we present the argument that empathy is a natural human quality like language—one that relies on specific early experiences to develop properly.  We argue that when these experiences of nurture and human contact are present for children, families, cultures and economies tend to flourish.  When these early experiences are absent, however—and this is increasingly the case in the environments inhabited by today’s children—creative thought, progress and economic growth are threatened.