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Rob Chavez, an associate professor at the University of Oregon, joins me to discuss his field of computational social neuroscience. In addition to exploring his unique field of study, we also take a look at the weaknesses and strengths of brain imaging, the current state of neuroscience, the future impacts of AI, the importance of remembering “the map isn’t the territory”, and much more. With a large part of my own personal research also falling within this field, it was a true pleasure to geek out with Rob on this endlessly fascinating subject.
Follow Rob at https://x.com/robchavez, check out his lab at https://csnl.uoregon.edu, or read his Substack “Academics Anonymous” at https://robchavez.substack.com
Dr. Rob Chavez joined the faculty at the University of Oregon in 2017. He is interested in how our brains build representations of our sense of self and the social environment and how we use these representations to guide our behavior in the real world. He is also interested in predictive modeling, computational methods in digital social science, and non-technical writing for broader audiences.
Rob Chavez, an associate professor at the University of Oregon, discusses his work as a social neuroscientist and the use of computational modeling in his research. He explains that social neuroscience combines social psychology and cognitive neuroscience to understand how the brain processes social information. Chavez emphasizes the importance of asking interesting questions and developing new paradigms in neuroscience research. He also discusses the reliability of brain imaging data and the potential of machine learning and AI in advancing our understanding of the brain. Chavez focuses on brain regions such as the medial prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex in his research. In this conversation, Rob Chavez discusses his recent research on self-referential processing and the brain. He explains how the brain represents and processes information about the self and others, and how this relates to social cognition and empathy. Chavez also explores the concept of distance in social relationships and how it is reflected in brain activity. He emphasizes the importance of considering cultural and linguistic influences on the self, as well as the limitations of reducing complex brain processes to simple models. Overall, Chavez’s work highlights the interconnectedness of different brain regions and the need for interdisciplinary approaches in understanding the self and social cognition.
Chapters
00:00
Introduction and Overview
05:00
The Potential of Machine Learning and AI
08:06
Reliability of Brain Imaging Data
14:15
The Importance of Asking Interesting Questions
31:16
The Challenge of Differentiating Self and Other Representation
35:03
Understanding Self-Referential Processing and the Brain
38:19
The Role of Distance in Social Relationships
44:05
Cultural and Linguistic Influences on the Self
47:33
The Limitations of Simple Models in Understanding the Self
52:38
The Importance of Interdisciplinary Approaches in Studying the Self