SBL Outreach

Social Media

Bluesky: @socialbrainlab.bsky.social

Events

NEMO Weekend of Science

The SBL will participate again in this year’s Weekend of Science hosted by the NEMO Science Museum. Last October, some of our lab members hosted activities for children and their parents to experience the joy of science and learn about empathy and neuroscience. We hope this year will be an even bigger success!

Click Here to find out more about the Weekend of Science

NeuroNarratives

Our current and past lab members are working with NeuroNarratives to bring meaningful changes to society by increasing our knowledge of how the brains works. NeuroNarratives connects neuroscientists and artists to create original artworks to make research more approachable for a wider audience. They aim for knowledge about how our brains and minds work to bring people in society closer together and challenge our beliefs and biases to realize what’s possible, for ourselves and for society.

Click Here to find out more about NeuroNarratives

Digital Media

Tedx Talk

In 2023, Dr. Valeria Gazzola gave a TEDx talk at Wageningen University titled ‘Empathy: A Tool for Everyone‘. She captured the audience with a story about how empathy is a powerful communication tool, and learning how to effectively use our empathic skills is necessary to become more socially balanced and successful individuals in society. She emphasized that empathy is not an inherent trait, but a tool we can learn to master and manipulate for our own benefit, as well as that of others.

Click Here to watch Valeria Gazzola’s TedX Talk on Youtube.

NPO Focus

In 2024 Dr. Valeria Gazzola and Prof. Christian Keysers featured the NPO show ‘Focus’, episode 10 ‘The empathy gap’, to discuss their research on empathy. They explained the discovery of mirror neurons and how the empathic system works and must be regulated to function effectively in a dynamic environment. They also shared their discovery that psychopaths barely activate the pain regions in their brain, but when they are explicitly told to try and empathise they show normal activity patterns in their regions. They discuss how these findings can help to understand how conflicts between in- and outgroups emerge and can be managed.

Click Here to watch Dr. Gazzola and Prof. Keysers on NPO Focus

Physical Media

The Empathic Brain

The Empathic Brain by Professor Christian Keysers explores the fascinating mechanisms of empathy through vivid and personal descriptions of key experiments. Starting with the discovery of mirror neurons in Parma, Italy, the book takes readers on a journey through leading labs, revealing how our sensations and emotions are triggered by witnessing those around us. By examining empathy in various contexts, including autism, psychopathy, and even robots, Keysers provides a captivating and refreshing read that deepens our understanding of human nature. This intellectually rigorous yet accessible book has won acclaim for its ability to make complex scientific discoveries relatable and engaging. Since its publication, The Empathic Brain has significantly influenced both scientific and public discourse on empathy, earning the gold medal for best science book at the Independent Publisher’s Book Awards in 2012. It continues to inspire readers to recognize their profound interconnectedness and the social nature of the human mind.