Psychology

Behave: 6 key ideas

by Robert Sapolsky

The core ideas of Behave, each in under a minute, written in our own words. Want the full depth? Get the book.

1. IDEA 1 OF 6

   Behaviour has many causes

   Any action is shaped by neurons firing seconds before, hormones hours before, and genes and culture going back generations.

2. IDEA 2 OF 6

   Context shapes hormones

   Testosterone amplifies whatever behaviour gets status in a given setting; it doesn't simply cause aggression.

3. IDEA 3 OF 6

   Us versus them is fast

   The brain sorts people into groups in milliseconds, but the boundaries are flexible and can be redrawn.

4. IDEA 4 OF 6

   The frontal cortex

   It helps us do the harder right thing, and it's the last part of the brain to mature.

5. IDEA 5 OF 6

   Stress changes the brain

   Chronic stress impairs judgement and empathy.

6. IDEA 6 OF 6

   Humility about blame

   Understanding the biological roots of behaviour should make us more cautious about simple ideas of blame.