Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst | Robert Sapolsky

Introduction

“Behave” is a book by Robert Sapolsky, a renowned neuroscientist and primatologist. With his extensive expertise in diverse fields, Sapolsky integrates insights from biology, psychology, ecology, and anthropology in this book. A seemingly simple action is influenced by numerous factors, ranging from milliseconds before the action to millions of years before. These actions also have different meanings depending on the context, even down to the neural circuitry level. For example, shooting a menacing villain is different from shooting an innocent person, even biologically. Thus, to understand and explain our behaviours, a multidisciplinary approach is necessary to dissect each set of influences, from milliseconds to millions of years before.

Milliseconds to Seconds Before Behaviour

Our behaviour starts in the brain, so we need to begin at the neurological level. For an action to occur, it involves the activation of neural circuits, the role of neurotransmitters, and the interaction between different brain regions. To simplify, we can compare the roles of two regions: the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. The prefrontal cortex is crucial for higher-order functions like decision-making and impulse control, while the amygdala…