Maia Szalavitz Books
Maia Szalavitz is an award-winning journalist specializing in neuroscience and addiction, and coauthor of several books on psychology and mental health.
Known for: Born for Love: Why Empathy Is Essential—and Endangered
Books by Maia Szalavitz
Born for Love: Why Empathy Is Essential—and Endangered
This book explores the science of empathy and its crucial role in human development, relationships, and society. Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and real-life case studies, Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz explain how empathy develops in childhood, how it can be nurtured or damaged, and why modern life may be eroding our capacity for compassion. The authors argue that empathy is not just a moral virtue but a biological necessity for human survival and well-being.
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The Biology of Empathy
We begin here, with the most fundamental truth: empathy is embedded in the architecture of the human brain. Long before a child can speak, mirror neurons fire when she sees another person smile or cry, allowing her tiny nervous system to simulate the feelings of others. This neural resonance creates...
From Born for Love: Why Empathy Is Essential—and Endangered
Early Development
Empathy begins with touch, gaze, and tone. In the first year of life, the way a caregiver responds to a baby’s cues literally sculpts the brain. A securely attached infant—whose cries bring comfort, whose smiles are mirrored—learns that other people are predictable sources of safety and pleasure. Th...
From Born for Love: Why Empathy Is Essential—and Endangered
About Maia Szalavitz
Maia Szalavitz is an award-winning journalist specializing in neuroscience and addiction, and coauthor of several books on psychology and mental health.
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Maia Szalavitz is an award-winning journalist specializing in neuroscience and addiction, and coauthor of several books on psychology and mental health.
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