August 31, 2016
Interview with Paul Zak, author of the book The Moral Molecule
Mike Carruthers: Oxytocin it’s a hormone released by the brain that promotes care and connection with others.
Paul Zak: Turn up the oxytocin and all of a sudden I’m treating strangers like family and by and large they’re going to reciprocate with me – turn it down and all of a sudden I get a selfish behavior, aggressive behavior.
Paul Zak, author of the book The Moral Molecule has studied oxytocin levels in people for 10 years and says people with high levels of oxytocin.
They’re much happier than people who release less oxytocin. But why are they happier? Because they have better relationships of all types, they have better romantic relationships, more close friends, they’re closer to family. So because you can actually change the way your brain releases oxytocin this suggests that we can consciously build a world that is much richer to live in.
So what promotes the release of oxytocin in your brain.
Praying, meditating, exercising, a warm bath like a Jacuzzi, even sharing a meal will do it – it’s a calming factor. Oxytocin is this calming agent that says, “Everything’s safe you can let your guard down.”
Physical touch is a very powerful way to release oxytocin so Paul says…
While I started thinking about the time-out that we use to punish kids, makes no sense the time-out says you’re misbehaving we don’t want to be around you. So I invented the time-in, the time-in is you’ve got to sit in my lap and make eye contact with me and let me hold you until you are calmed down and you’ll feel appropriately loved and taken care of.
