Robert Sapolsky

Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst

19:28 min

Psychology, Biology, Science

790 pages, 2017

Why do humans act the way they do? This question has puzzled thinkers for centuries, often leading to oversimplified explanations. In this short that explores the multilayered nature of human behavior, Robert Sapolsky reveals how our actions emerge from a complex web of influences across different time scales. From split-second neural firings to millennia of evolution, from hormone fluctuations to cultural inheritance, each layer adds essential context to understanding human conduct. The short methodically examines these influences through topics like early development, group dynamics, morality, and the origins of war and peace. By breaking down behavior into its component parts while showing their interconnections, Sapolsky's demonstrates that our actions arise from an intricate combination of biological, psychological, and social factors.

Robert Sapolsky

Robert Sapolsky is a neuroendocrinologist and professor of biology, neurology, and neurological sciences at Stanford University, where he has taught since 1987. His research has revealed fundamental connections between stress physiology and health through his extensive field studies of wild baboons in Kenya, where he spent decades observing how social rank, personality, and social behavior influence stress-related disease. Sapolsky's work has shown the specific biological mechanisms through which chronic stress affects brain structure, immune function, and aging, while also revealing the relationships between our biology and social behavior.

Chapters

Human behavior stems from multiple interconnected factors across various timescales, from immediate neural responses to evolutionary adaptations, rather than having simple, single-cause explanations.

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