270502 Social Neuroscience (S) (SoSe 2026)

Social experiences have a critical impact on health and survival, and impairments in social functioning and social behavior represent a transdiagnostic feature of psychopathology.
However, social aspects are often neglected in psychiatric research.

This course will provide an overview of the methods and concepts of social neuroscience. It will cover the biological foundations of social behavior and social cognition and how psychopathologies relates to such social functions, drawing on both theoretical and methodological contributions of the current literature.
The topics include empathy, emotion perception and recognition, prosocial behavior, social isolation and loneliness, among others. The course will include frontal lectures, journal club activities (reading and discussion of the current literature) and group discussions.
The students will give presentations on the course topics (in English).
The seminar aims to provide a broad overview of social neuroscience and to develop students’ skills in critically evaluating empirical research and participating in scientific discourse.

IMPORTANT:
- The language of the course is English. Also the students presentations and the group discussions in class will be held in English.
- The course covers very similar topics to the WiSe 2024/2025 course 270005 Vertiefungsseminar Kognitive Neurowissenschaften: Social Neuroscience

Seminarplatzvergabe:
Für diese Veranstaltung gibt es eine zentrale Platzvergabe. Studierende werden darüber gesondert per Mail informiert. Bei Fragen zum Vorgehen wenden Sie sich bitte direkt an: seminarplatzvergabe-psychologie@uni-bielefeld.de