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A social neuroscience perspective on the power of friendship and interpersonal relationships Volume 12, issue 2, Avril-Mai-Juin 2020

Author
Department of Psychology and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, 5848 South University Avenue, Chicago IL 60637
* Correspondance

Friendship, social relationships, and acts of kindness are predispositions that are deeply rooted in human nature. They can be used to overcome the detrimental effects of loneliness and social isolation. Cultivating friendships and expressing kindness online, via the internet and social media, has the same beneficial effects as face-to-face interactions. Social neuroscience has identified the neurobiological mechanisms that are responsible for the harmful consequences of loneliness, and offers ways of coping with the current lockdown.