The Science of Emotions & Relationships

In this episode, I discuss the biology of emotions and moods in the context of relationships. I focus on the science of how early infant-caregiver attachment, combined with adolescence and puberty shape our adult patterns of attachment. I explain the three universal aspects of emotions, the reality of right-brain versus left-brain personalities, and how the roots of adult attachment are also grounded in specific aspects of puberty. I review what factors determine when puberty starts and ends, and the role of oxytocin and other chemicals in controlling how we perceive and remember others. As always, I refer to various practical tools including new tools for understanding and predicting our emotions before they occur, and neurochemicals that shape human connection. Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman Timestamps 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:32 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up 00:05:10 Announcing New Cost-Free Resources: Captions, NSDR Link 00:07:40 Emotions: Subjective Yet Tractable 00:10:53 To Understand Your Emotions: Look At Infancy & Puberty 00:15:21 Your First Feeling Was Anxiety 00:17:36 What Are “Healthy Emotions”? 00:19:03 Digital Tool For Predicting Your Emotions: Mood Meter App 00:21:08 The Architecture Of A Feeling: (At Least) 3 Key Questions To Ask Yourself 00:24:00 You Are An Infant: Bonds & Predictions 00:27:57 Attachment Style Hinges On How You Handle Disappointment 00:32:40 “Glue Points” Of Emotional Bonds: Gaze, Voice, Affect, Touch, (& Written) 00:36:34 “Emotional Health”: Awareness of the Interoceptive-Exteroceptive Dynamic 00:37:50 An Exercise: Controlling Interoceptive-Exteroceptive Bias 00:42:19 Getting Out Of Your Head: The Attentional Aperture 00:46:59 Puberty: Biology & Emotions On Deliberate Overdrive 00:47:58 Bodyfat & Puberty: The Leptin Connection 00:50:34 Pheromones: Mates, Timing Puberty, Spontaneous Miscarriage 00:54:37 Kisspeptin: Robust Trigger Of Puberty & Performance Enhancing Agent 00:58:26 Neuroplasticity Of Emotions: Becoming Specialists & Testing Emotional Bonds 01:00:25 Testing Driving Brain Circuits For Emotion: Dispersal 01:07:48 Science-Based Recommendations for Adolescents and Teens: The Autonomy Buffet 01:11:05 “Right-Brain Versus Left-Brain People”: Facts Versus Lies 01:14:18 Left Brain = Language, Right Brain = Spatial Awareness 01:16:15 How To Recognize “Right Brain Activity” In Speech: Prosody 01:18:32 Oxytocin: The Molecule of Synchronizing States 01:20:09 Mirror Neurons: Are Not For “Empathy”, Maybe For Predicting Behavior 01:23:00 Promoting Trust & Monogamy 01:27:00 Ways To Increase Oxytocin 01:28:34 Vasopressin: Aphrodisiac, Non-Monogamy and Anti-Bed-Wetting Qualities 01:30:43 Bonding Bodies, Not Just Minds: Vagus Nerve, Depression Relief Via the Body 01:35:18 A Powerful Tool For Enhancing Range & Depth of Emotional Experience 01:36:43 MDMA and Other Psychedelic Compounds: Building A Framework 01:38:54 Roundup, Various Forms of Support Disclaimer & Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices