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Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Mates vs strangers — why humans connect and divide
Mates vs strangers — why humans connect and divide
Mates vs strangers — why humans connect and divide
Saturday 21st September 2024
Dr. Mark Williams explores how our brains evolved to form groups and the implications for modern discrimination in 'All In The Mind'.
29 minutes
Informative
Eye-opening
Compassionate
Educational
Thought-provoking
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Get the buttons here!How Our Brains Connect and Divide: The Science Behind Human Groups
Episode Overview
- Our brains evolved to identify in-groups and out-groups for survival.
- Social media reinforces our natural biases.
- Face templates influence how we perceive different races.
- Biases are learned and can be unlearned through exposure.
- Teaching diversity can help combat ingrained stereotypes.
We needed a way to really quickly identify who was trustworthy and who wasn't.
Why do humans form groups and how does that lead to discrimination? In this episode of 'All In The Mind', Dr. Mark Williams, a cognitive neuroscientist, shares his experiences from his rough high school days in Colac, Victoria, and discusses how our brains are wired to connect with certain groups while excluding others. Growing up in a tight-knit community, Mark saw firsthand how a new kid from Canada was brutally bullied just for being different.
This incident left a lasting impact on him, shaping his understanding of group dynamics and discrimination. Mark explains that our brains have evolved over millions of years to identify in-groups and out-groups, which was essential for survival in ancient times. However, these same mechanisms can lead to racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination in today's world. He highlights how social media exacerbates these instincts by creating echo chambers that reinforce our biases.
The episode also explores the concept of face templates—how our brains use an average of all the faces we've seen to quickly identify individuals. This can lead to biases against those who look different from us. Mark argues that these biases are learned and can be unlearned through exposure to diverse faces and changing cultural stereotypes. Mark's reflections are both personal and scientific, offering a unique perspective on why we connect with some people and exclude others.
He stresses the importance of teaching future generations to see beyond these ingrained stereotypes and embrace diversity. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding the roots of human behaviour and how we can create a more inclusive society. Are we doomed to repeat these patterns of discrimination, or can we learn to overcome them? Tune in to find out.