Why Brains Need Friends w/ Dr. Ben Rein

This week, Scott sits down with Dr. Ben Rein, a Stanford neuroscientist and one of today’s most engaging science communicators. Dr. Rein has spent over a decade studying the neuroscience of social interaction, and his new book, Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social Connection , explores how our relationships shape our minds and well-being. Together, they dive into the science of why humans are wired for connection, the growing epidemic of loneliness, and how social interactions influence the brain. They also unpack the neurobiology of empathy—what it is, how it works, and whether we can actually train ourselves to become more empathetic. See Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at .

You can listen to Why Brains Need Friends w/ Dr. Ben Rein online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Why Brains Need Friends w/ Dr. Ben Rein is an episode from The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman by iHeartPodcasts.

This episode is 01:03:38 long.

This episode was published on Oct 9, 2025.

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