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A Review Essay on Social Neuroscience: Can Research on the Social Brain and Economics Inform Each Other?

Author

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  • Carlos Alós-Ferrer

Abstract

Social neuroscience studies the "social brain," conceived as the set of brain structures and functions supporting the perception and evaluation of the social environment. This article provides an overview of the field, using the book Social Neuroscience: Brain, Mind, and Society (Russell K. Schutt, Larry J. Seidman, and Matcheri S. Keshavan, editors) as a starting point. Topics include the evolution of the social brain, the concept of "theory of mind," the relevant brain networks, and documented failures of the social brain. I argue that social neuroscience and economics can greatly benefit from each other because the social brain underlies interpersonal decision making, as studied in economics.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Alós-Ferrer, 2018. "A Review Essay on Social Neuroscience: Can Research on the Social Brain and Economics Inform Each Other?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 56(1), pages 234-264, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:aea:jeclit:v:56:y:2018:i:1:p:234-64
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/jel.20171370
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel Serra, 2021. "Decision-making: from neuroscience to neuroeconomics—an overview," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 91(1), pages 1-80, July.
    2. Landry, Peter, 2021. "A behavioral economic theory of cue-induced attention- and task-switching with implications for neurodiversity," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    3. Siddhartha Mitra, 2019. "Controlling Terrorism Through the Nudging of Social Interactions," South Asian Journal of Macroeconomics and Public Finance, , vol. 8(2), pages 180-190, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D71 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Social Choice; Clubs; Committees; Associations
    • D87 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Neuroeconomics
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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