Dr. Laurie Santos

You know, I run to McDonald's and that's much faster than cooking up a really healthy vegetable-filled meal. I think the same thing happens with social connection, right? Like you're a lonely person at your house sitting on the couch. You have this negative bodily state. You feel lonely. Maybe it kind of manifests as a craving, but what's the fastest thing for you to do?

You know, I run to McDonald's and that's much faster than cooking up a really healthy vegetable-filled meal. I think the same thing happens with social connection, right? Like you're a lonely person at your house sitting on the couch. You have this negative bodily state. You feel lonely. Maybe it kind of manifests as a craving, but what's the fastest thing for you to do?

You know, I run to McDonald's and that's much faster than cooking up a really healthy vegetable-filled meal. I think the same thing happens with social connection, right? Like you're a lonely person at your house sitting on the couch. You have this negative bodily state. You feel lonely. Maybe it kind of manifests as a craving, but what's the fastest thing for you to do?

I'm going to scroll through my friends' Instagram feeds. Or I'm going to get a kind of little mini hit of social connection that's not as nutritious. Honestly, I mean, not to diss our respective fields, but I actually think this is one reason that people love podcasts so much, right? It's a frictionless way to feel like you're part of this interesting conversation.

I'm going to scroll through my friends' Instagram feeds. Or I'm going to get a kind of little mini hit of social connection that's not as nutritious. Honestly, I mean, not to diss our respective fields, but I actually think this is one reason that people love podcasts so much, right? It's a frictionless way to feel like you're part of this interesting conversation.

I'm going to scroll through my friends' Instagram feeds. Or I'm going to get a kind of little mini hit of social connection that's not as nutritious. Honestly, I mean, not to diss our respective fields, but I actually think this is one reason that people love podcasts so much, right? It's a frictionless way to feel like you're part of this interesting conversation.

But ultimately, it doesn't work as well as picking up the phone and calling a friend, connecting with someone in real life. I think we have too many outlets for things that kind of feel socially but don't give us social nutrition. And it's true. I mean, we should be honest.

But ultimately, it doesn't work as well as picking up the phone and calling a friend, connecting with someone in real life. I think we have too many outlets for things that kind of feel socially but don't give us social nutrition. And it's true. I mean, we should be honest.

But ultimately, it doesn't work as well as picking up the phone and calling a friend, connecting with someone in real life. I think we have too many outlets for things that kind of feel socially but don't give us social nutrition. And it's true. I mean, we should be honest.

Like, really connecting with actual people in real life takes more friction than pulling out your phone and scrolling through your Instagram feed. It's just the Instagram feed doesn't work as well ultimately when it comes to what's really going to end up being rewarding. And I think this is true for just like a lot of the way the reward system works.

Like, really connecting with actual people in real life takes more friction than pulling out your phone and scrolling through your Instagram feed. It's just the Instagram feed doesn't work as well ultimately when it comes to what's really going to end up being rewarding. And I think this is true for just like a lot of the way the reward system works.

Like, really connecting with actual people in real life takes more friction than pulling out your phone and scrolling through your Instagram feed. It's just the Instagram feed doesn't work as well ultimately when it comes to what's really going to end up being rewarding. And I think this is true for just like a lot of the way the reward system works.

The things that we have craving for, that we seek out, that like we have really strong mechanisms to go after, sometimes those things don't work to get us towards real likability. You know, drugs of addiction are a real obvious answer to this, right? You know, if you have a kind of heroin problem, you're going to really seek out that drug. But ultimately, it's not bringing you towards something.

The things that we have craving for, that we seek out, that like we have really strong mechanisms to go after, sometimes those things don't work to get us towards real likability. You know, drugs of addiction are a real obvious answer to this, right? You know, if you have a kind of heroin problem, you're going to really seek out that drug. But ultimately, it's not bringing you towards something.

The things that we have craving for, that we seek out, that like we have really strong mechanisms to go after, sometimes those things don't work to get us towards real likability. You know, drugs of addiction are a real obvious answer to this, right? You know, if you have a kind of heroin problem, you're going to really seek out that drug. But ultimately, it's not bringing you towards something.

I mean, it will maybe feel good in the moment, but it's, you know, no, you're not neutral, sweetie, but it's not getting you towards something that evolutionarily would be really awesome for your survival and reproductive success.

I mean, it will maybe feel good in the moment, but it's, you know, no, you're not neutral, sweetie, but it's not getting you towards something that evolutionarily would be really awesome for your survival and reproductive success.

I mean, it will maybe feel good in the moment, but it's, you know, no, you're not neutral, sweetie, but it's not getting you towards something that evolutionarily would be really awesome for your survival and reproductive success.

Yeah, probably way more than you think you should. We have good data on what people predict, which is that people predict social interaction is just not going to be that fun. It's not going to be worth it. This seems to be a spot where our predictions about how good something is going to be don't necessarily match how good it ultimately will going to be.

Yeah, probably way more than you think you should. We have good data on what people predict, which is that people predict social interaction is just not going to be that fun. It's not going to be worth it. This seems to be a spot where our predictions about how good something is going to be don't necessarily match how good it ultimately will going to be.