Social Brain

'A remarkable and important book . . . a highly accessible, timely and invaluable guide to anybody working in groups.' Prof Paul Gilbert OBE

A range of empirical and theoretical perspectives on the relationship between biology and social cognition from infancy through childhood.

Provides an inter-disciplinary exploration of the development of social cognition in humans and looks at the psychiatric implications when these processes go awry. The resulting brain disorders or psychopathologies can manifest in various forms such as autism, schizophrenia, delusional disorders, affective disorders (bipolar disease), and borderline personality disorders of old age (dementia). There is increasing interest in what determines our social awareness and behaviour and essentially this book applies "theory of mind" to psychiatry and psychopathology. With contributions from leading authorities in the field, this will be a standard reference for years to come.

This book aims to open a debate full of theoretical and experimental contributions among the different disciplines in social research, psychology, neuroscience, and sociology and to give an innovative vision to the present research and future perspective on the topic. The book explains at individual and group level the fundamental behaviors of social life, such as altruism, cooperation, competition, social exclusion, and social support.