Habits Quotes by Robert M. Sapolsky

Genes are rarely about inevitability, especially when it comes to humans, the brain, or behavior. They're about vulnerability, propensities, tendencies.

— Robert M. Sapolsky

What happened in the milliseconds before a behavior to cause it? That's in the neurobiological realm.

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Thus, over the course of seconds sensory cues can shape your behavior unconsciously.”

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“you asked amygdala experts what behavior their favorite brain structure brings to mind, “aggression” wouldn’t top their list. It would be fear…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Thus, adult behavior produces persistent molecular brain changes in offspring, “programming” them to be likely to replicate that distinctive behavior in adulthood.76”

— Robert M. Sapolsky

Genes are important for understanding our behavior. Incredibly important - after all, they code for every protein pertinent to brain function, endocrinology,…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

Perhaps most excitingly, we are uncovering the brain basis of our behaviors - normal, abnormal and in-between. We are mapping a neurobiology…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Infuse oxytocin into the brain of a virgin rat, and she’ll act maternally—retrieving, grooming, and licking pups. Block the actions of oxytocin…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Infuse oxytocin into the brain of a virgin rat, and she’ll act maternally—retrieving, grooming, and licking pups. Block the actions of oxytocin…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“it’s human behavior, human social behavior, and in many cases abnormal human social behavior. And it is indeed a mess, a subject…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Our prototypical behavior has occurred. How was it influenced by events when the egg and sperm that formed that person joined, creating…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“The candidate gene approaches show that the effect of a single gene on a behavior is typically tiny. In other words, having…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Look at systematic patterns of cultural variation as they pertain to the best and worst of our behaviors. Explore how different types…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Sustained stress has numerous adverse effects. The amygdala becomes overactive and more coupled to pathways of habitual behavior; it is easier to…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

The fascinating thing about our best and worst behaviors isn't the behavior itself - the brain tells the muscles to do something…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Genes have plenty to do with behavior. Even more appropriately, all behavioral traits are affected to some degree by genetic variability.65 They…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“When testosterone rises after a challenge, it doesn't prompt aggression. Instead it prompts whatever behaviors are needed to maintain status. This changes…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Dopamine is not just about reward anticipation; it fuels the goal-directed behavior needed to gain that reward; dopamine “binds” the value of…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Subliminal cuing and unconscious priming influence numerous behaviors unrelated to this book. People think potato chips taste better when hearing crunching sounds.…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“Instead, these findings suggest that the amygdala injects implicit distrust and vigilance into social decision making.23 All thanks to learning. In the…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“A behavior has occurred that is good, bad, or ambiguous. How have cultural factors stretching back to the origins of humans contributed…

— Robert M. Sapolsky

“So testosterone does subtle things to behavior. Nonetheless, this doesn’t tell us much because everything can be interpreted every which way. Testosterone…

— Robert M. Sapolsky