Project description
Towards a biological theory of social relations
Is there a biological mechanism that drives social animals to bond and prefer specific individuals? Despite extensive research, we still need a comprehensive understanding of social bonding. The ERC-funded BIOBOND project aims to introduce a new and scientifically proven biological theory of social relations. The project links essential physiological functions, such as glucose metabolism, arousal and body temperature, with social bonding. The effectiveness of these physiological processes during social interactions influences the probability of bonding. The research will map the neurobiological pathway through which social interactions impact physiology, demonstrate a causal relationship between physiological gains and bonding, and provide an evolutionary perspective by exploring the impact of social interactions on physiology in another social species.
Objective
Imagine a first date, where partners feel an immediate bond, versus an awkward date, where partners feel disconnected. BioBond asks whether there is a biological mechanism that is set to differentially favour bonding in the first date over the second. Despite substantial research on social bonding, we are still without an understanding of what drives social animals to bond and prefer selected individuals. BioBond aims to provide, for the first time, a novel and empirically-validated biological theory of sociality, tying fundamental physiological processes, like glucose metabolism, arousal or temperature, to social bonding, where physiological efficiency during interactions impacts bonding probability. This is not limited to romantic partners, but rather is suggested as a unifying principle that explains bonding: any social interaction that advances physiological gains reinforces bonding. Empirically validating such a unifying principle would demonstrate how complex behaviour emerges from a simple biological feature. Importantly, since physiological gains are quantitative, they can implement selective bonding, where interactions with higher physiological gains are more strongly reinforced. My approach is interdisciplinary, lying at the intersection of neuroscience, biology and psychology, with four mutually-informative lines of research: (1) Demonstrate how social interactions impact physiology by quantifying glucose metabolism, arousal and temperature during interactions v. alone in two major human bonds- parental and romantic; (2) Map the neurobiological pathway via which interactions impact physiology in real-time social interactions; (3) Demonstrate a causal effect of physiological gains on bonding by altering physiology during interactions; (4) Provide an evolutionary perspective by demonstrating it in an additional social species. BioBond is ground breaking in offering a novel, theory-based, testable biological mechanism for bonding across bonds and species.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-STG
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91904 Jerusalem
Israel
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