Research and Lab

Jamil and his team at the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab study human connection, what those connections do for us, and how people can learn to connect more effectively.  

Much of our work focuses on empathy: people’s ability to share, understand, and care about others’ emotions.  The SSNL has found that empathy is a learnable skill, and used tools ranging from virtual reality to new mindsets to help build empathy among various communities.   

The SSNL also examines how human connection can be brought to challenging situations.  We’ve found that personal connection can decrease animosity and increase curiosity in politically polarized settings, and help young adults remain mentally healthy in college.  

You can find much more about our work and read our lab’s publications below: