Neurobiology of Social Capacities: The Building Blocks of Friendship

Abstract

F riendships are powerful social bonds that promote health and restore wellbeing following adversity or trauma (Carter et al. 2020). They can also generate new ways to overcome conflict and promote successful peacebuilding strategies (Lederach 2015; Ricigliano 2015). But are there specific physiological processes needed to foster constructive friendships? The focus of this article is to review some evidence investigating two major physiological processes, vagal and oxytocinergic functioning, that support social capacities of friendship.