World-leading neuroscientist and psychologist Dr Ruth Feldman has spent decades studying the intricacies of our social interactions. Her lab has shown that humans bond so deeply that we alter one another’s biology – our brain waves align, our hearts beat the same rhythm, and hormones are released in tandem. This is biobehavioural synchrony.
Drawing on decades of pioneering research, Synchronized lays out the profound impact synchrony has on human life, from birth to old age, by following the stories of parents and children, lovers, and friends. We see the call and response between mothers and newborns, meet married couples in crisis, trace the biological imprint of loss and trauma, and learn how synchrony enriches and repairs our relationships, builds resilience and even improves our health.
Both rigorous and deeply humane, Synchronized reveals the magic of synchrony at work in our lives and touches the very basis of what makes us human.
Drawing on decades of pioneering research, Synchronized lays out the profound impact synchrony has on human life, from birth to old age, by following the stories of parents and children, lovers, and friends. We see the call and response between mothers and newborns, meet married couples in crisis, trace the biological imprint of loss and trauma, and learn how synchrony enriches and repairs our relationships, builds resilience and even improves our health.
Both rigorous and deeply humane, Synchronized reveals the magic of synchrony at work in our lives and touches the very basis of what makes us human.
Reviews
Synchronized combines a scientist's cutting-edge research with a mother's deep, personal reflections on art, life, joy, loss, trauma, and the meaning of relationships. The outcome is a masterpiece.
I absolutely love this book. It is groundbreaking. Revolutionary. Feldman has integrated neuroscience with relationship behavior for parent-child relationships, friendships, and romantic relationships. Just an amazing integration. This is a very important book.
Remarkable ... With exceptional scientific depth and clarity, she transforms our understanding of love, intimacy and even hatred ... Both authoritative and deeply humane, Synchronized is destined to become a landmark contribution to the science of human behavior.
Synchronized will change how we understand love, attachment, and the profoundly biological nature of human connection. A breakthrough in understanding how our relationships shape us, and how connection itself can become a pathway toward healing disconnection and trauma.
Ruth Feldman takes one of the most mysterious human experiences - connecting with another person - and reveals its underlying biology. Drawing on decades of pioneering research, Synchronized shows how love and connection travel through touch, timing, hormones, and the alignment of two brains. The result is a fascinating new way to understand why relationships can wound us, heal us, and change who we are.
This magnificent book shows us the powerful science illuminating the essential steps we need to take to live our most vibrant lives.
It is indeed hard to overestimate the importance of Feldman's work ... [her] contribution to our efforts to provide the next generation with an optimal start in life has been profound and has lasting value for decades to come.