The Nature of the Beast: How Emotions Guide Us and Other Animals

What are emotions and what are they for? Despite centuries of research, science still hasn’t provided an unambiguous answer—moreover, there’s no agreement even on what form that answer should take. Neurobiologist David Anderson believes that neuroscience with its objective, testable methods can help advance understanding of emotions. Many years he studied the neural circuits that control emotional behavior in animals, so that through them he could clarify how the same brain mechanisms work in humans. His results have great scientific value: they provide key conclusions about the nature of emotional behavior in animals and people, and may lead to substantial progress in therapy for mental disorders.

Explaining his approach, Anderson acts not only as a theoretical researcher, but also as a practitioner—offering applied ways to develop emotional intelligence and reduce stress connected with experiencing emotions.