Social Sciences of Neuroscience

An interdisciplinary field that studies neuroscience as a social and cultural phenomenon—examining how brain research is funded, how neuroimages are interpreted and circulated, how neuroscientific claims influence law, education, and marketing, and how the public understands (and misunderstands) brain science. The social sciences of neuroscience ask: why does “brain-based” explanation carry special authority? How do commercial interests shape neuroscience research? What are the social consequences of reducing complex human behaviors to neural correlates? It demystifies the allure of neuro-talk, showing that neuroscience is as much a social practice as a biological one.

Example: “Her research in the social sciences of neuroscience revealed that fMRI studies were often overinterpreted in the media because the colorful brain images gave a false sense of objectivity—a social effect, not a scientific one.”

Social Sciences of Neuroscience by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal April 16, 2026